Yes, I'm from Texas No, I don't wear cowboy boots
by kpotter1993
Summary: Kayla Smith doesn't fit in with her family. Little does she know they aren't her real family and her red hair is her true family's trademark. The truth comes out when she gets a letter from a certain magical school. Will her birth family accept her when her adoptive one casts her out? Will she find her way in the magical world? Watch as she sings and snarks her way through Hogwarts
1. Prologue

**Yes I'm From Texas, No I don't Wear Cowboy Boots:**

_Prologue_

I am different. No, really… I absolutely do not fit in with my family. For one thing, they all have dark brown hair and brown eyes and I…. well, I'm a ginger. I have auburn hair and light aqua blue eyes. For another, the rest of my family is relatively short for the age and I'm like a friggin' skyscraper. I'm 10 and I'm already 5 foot 2! I'm also super skinny, even for a growing girl. I don't get it! I eat enough for 5 people. Grrrrrrrrrr… That's just physically, too. My brother's biggest hobbies include: insulting me, video games, putting me down, sleeping, and calling me names. My parents are super kind, but they're also super oblivious which is how my brothers get away with their constant villainy towards me. I also get the feeling my parents are hiding something from me…

Okay, enough of my angsting. I'm Kayla Smith and I live in Austin, Texas. Like I said earlier, I don't fit in and not just with my family. Yes, I'm in Austin, LAND OF THE WEIRD, and I'm "too weird." I didn't mean to turn my desk purple. How is it my fault that I was able to swing in a complete circle and then just float back down to the ground? I'm just really skinny I s'pose, at least, that's the only reason I can think of. Anyway, those weird things that happen around me have made the other kids afraid to sit near me or even talk to me. My own brothers ignore me at school. I once had a friend, Ashleigh, but she moved away because the others were harassing her for hanging out with me. I told the bullies to pick on me instead, but they didn't listen and tortured her till she couldn't stand it anymore. So now I'm alone.

That's what I thought at least until I got the strangest letter that was delivered in the oddest fashion on my 11th birthday…


	2. The Crazy Or Maybe Magical Cat Lady

**(A/N: So I'm a poor college student who's obsessed with Harry Potter. However, I don't own it. JK Rowling does. Also I changed it so that Kayla only had one brother to simplify things for me and ya'll.)**

**Chapter 1: Crazy (Or Maybe Magical) Cat Lady**

My 11th birthday started like pretty much every one of my birthdays before: Waking up at six, (like I have a choice, my birthday is always on a school day), my parents giving me some wildflowers (march birthday advantage ^^), and my brother making the same tired joke of saying "Happy BURP-day!" then belching in my face.

"Joey, you REALLY need to brush your teeth. Honestly, your breath smells like cow crap!" I exclaimed.

"Kayla, don't use that sort of language. Joey, be nice to your sister, it's her birthday." My mom said while fixing us some oatmeal.

Just then, someone knocked on our door. With a confused look on her face, my mom went to go answer. I thought it was weird, too. Who wants to be up this early, let alone visit someone? My answer came when my mom came back with this severe looking lady with glasses, her hair in a bun, and wearing this weird dress-looking thing. Joey was about to make a rude comment about it so I kicked him under the table.

"Hello, my name is Minerva McGonagall and I am the Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have come to present you with your acceptance letter and explain about the wizarding world of which you are a part. That is, if you as a witch, choose to come." Said the woman in a thick British accent as though she had said it thousands of times and it no longer interested her.

Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure my eyes were wide enough that my contacts were going to fall out. I accepted the letter and read:

_Dear Ms. Weasley:_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment,_

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress_

_UNIFORM_

_First year students will require:_

_Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags_

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following…_

At this point, something clicked that I hadn't fully grasped in my early morning stupor. It said, "_Dear Ms. WEASLEY..." _

"Um…Professor McGonagall was it? I'm sorry, but I think you've gotten the wrong person. My last name is Smith. You must have me confused with someone else. "I said, wishing that the letter really WAS for me. I mean, it'd be super awesome to do magic. _Wait, what am I thinking? Magic isn't real. _I thought. _I really should stop reading so late, it's made me delusional._

At that, the woman shot my mom such a piercing look that I was surprised holes didn't appear where the self-acclaimed witch stared. My mom did look quite uncomfortable, though.

"Mom?" I turned to her looking for an explanation to this craziness.

"Well….sweetie, I don't know about you being a witch but….11 years ago today…,"my mom started to explain, but she had to stop to take a deep breath to prevent tears, and that scared me. My mom almost never cries. "11 years ago today, I went outside to get the mail and I saw a bloody baby girl with most of the umbilical cord attached, you, on our porch. I loved you on sight; I always wanted a daughter and a sister for Joey. I discussed it with your dad when he got home from work, and we decided to give you our last name and raise you as our own. We were going to tell you when you turned 18 so that you could try and find your birth parents if you wanted. Oh, Kayla! Can you forgive us for not telling you? We just wanted you to have a normal, untroubled childhood. We love you!"

I was shaking from anger, sadness, and something else I couldn't identify. I was also trying to cry, scream, or punch something. I lost the fight with the tears and my contacts slipped out.

"Shit!" I muttered and ran to my room to grab my glasses.

"Language!" My "mom" exclaimed.

At this point I couldn't hold back my enraged and slightly hysterical laughter.

"Okay, so you LIE to me for my ENTIRE life; MY ENTIRE LIFE! And when I slip up and say a cuss word, _that's bad_? I can't believe you! I've loved you for my entire life, tried my hardest at school, not kicked Joey's butt for picking on me, done all my chores with almost no complaint and you return my love and devotion by lying to me, turning a blind eye to Joey's being a bully, and not even noticing that I have no friends because people think I'm a freak! You may have been,' trying to give me a nice childhood'…but, you know what? You've done a pretty horrible job of it." Every resentful thought was just pouring out of me at once, but at the end of my little rant the professor cleared her throat bringing our attention back to her.

"Miss Smith-Weasley, please calm down so that we may straighten out these matters and so that you can decide if you want to go to Hogwarts." McGonagall (?) said though not unkindly, but still businesslike.

I took several deep breaths and then nodded for her to continue, now avoiding the tortured gaze of my up-until-just-now mother. Professor McGonagall (I was pretty sure of her name now) now had a sad look on her face as she began.

"Your birth mother's name is Molly Weasley. When she was pregnant with you, she was also pregnant with your twin, Ronald. There had been a highly dangerous wizarding war going on at that time and when the due date for you and your brother was but a month away your mother was hit by a stray curse that sent you here. The force of the spell sent Molly into labor and a few hours later your twin also arrived in the world. Molly searched far and wide around England, but she had to look after her 6 other children and, not too much later, was pregnant with another daughter. She assumed that you were dead. We all did, but then your name appeared on the list of prospective students and we knew you were alive somewhere and we'd find you then. It was not our favorite option, but our only one. I don't believe she told your siblings, because she didn't want to hurt them if they never found you. The letters automatically address the envelopes and here I am."

If I was shocked at the bombshell my mom laid on me, it was nothing to how I felt now. _There is no way that this is possible_ was all I could think. Finally, after a few minutes of deep breathing I managed to ask, "How…what….where's the proof that this isn't some elaborate and sick joke designed by Joey?"

McGonagall gave me an appraising look and then transformed into a striped cat. That's right, a CAT. Joey jumped but then sneered, "She really is a crazy cat lady!"

McGonagall turned back into her normal form glaring at the idio-Joey. "You ARE a witch Miss Smith-Weasley, and it is time for you to make a choice. Will you come?"

**(A/N: Mwahahaha! Cliffy because I'm feeling a little evil)**


	3. Bye, usedtobesorta mom!

**Chapter 2: Bye, used-to-be-sorta mom!**

_This is a tough decision,_ I pondered (boy have I been watching too much Pinky& the Brain), _On the one hand, I don't even know where this school is; though from McGonagall's accent, I assume Britain or somewhere close to there. On the other hand, going there might help me find my birth family, get away from Joey, and I might even be able to make friends. Well, it seems that the pros out way the cons…_

"Sure." I responded quietly to the witch's question. It looked like she almost smiled at my response, though from the looks of her that seems the closest thing she ever does to smiling.

My sorta-mom (that's what I'm gonna call her in my head now) didn't seem to be taking it very well. She was shaking with the effort not to cry. She seemed to be gathering the strength to say something.

"You…you…"she took another steadying breath, "You ungrateful little brat!"

Everyone's eyes widened and Joey's jaw hit the floor, I was frozen to the spot not believing what I was hearing.

She continued, "We fed you, clothed you, LOVED you, and took you in in the first place! And you repay us by abandoning us for this _heathen_?"

She was pointing at McGonagall. Before McGonagall could reply furiously, I replied for her my face reddening with rage.

"_She's_ the only one who's been straight with me from the start! Or have you already forgotten what I said a few minutes ago: _you lied to me for my entire life! _That is messed up in so many ways I can't even count! Also, about this heathen nonsense; just because she's a witch doesn't make her evil. In fact, she seems to be pretty cool!"

The professor looked thoroughly shocked at me defending her having only met her minutes ago, yet thankful all the same. My sorta-mom was a different story; she looked pale yet perfectly calm with a cold look in her eyes I had never seen before.

"Get out." She said.

I couldn't believe my ears.

"What?"

"Get. Out." She growled. "Grab some clothes and never return. You obviously don't need us anymore."

"But….I'm only 11." I was barely able to say.

"….and? Use your pagan 'magic' to make you a house!" My sorta-mom sneered.

McGonagall's face was white with rage and I couldn't even see her lips for how much they thinned.

"I cannot believe you would kick a child out to live on the streets! You call yourself a mother! I can't see how she deserves to be treated in such a matter I-"

I cut her off.

"It's fine, I'll just—go get my stuff." I said, trying to sound as though my world wasn't crashing down. I calmly walked up the stairs and started gathering my clothes. I packed 6 of my favorite band and video game t-shirts and I snuck out one of joey's Sonic the Hedgehog t-shirts (he was gonna miss that later, haha). Then I packed 7 pairs of skinny jeans of varying degrees of distress and my underthings and socks. I was wearing my favorite black and purple plaid converse. I put on my dark gray hoodie, figuring that Britain was pretty cold. _Crap! I almost forgot my contacts and solution!_ I thought running back to get them. _And my Kindle!_ With one last look at my room, I sighed and walked back downstairs carrying all of my possessions in my Sailor Moon backpack. McGonagall and my used-to-be-sorta mom were waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Are we going?" I asked McGonagall with almost all the nerve I had left.

"Certainly." She said looking slightly worried at my tone.

"Bye, used-to-be-sorta mom!" I said and walked out of the door. McGonagall's lips quirked at that as she followed me out. _Yep, there was the last of it. My nerve._ I thought. And then when we were a block away, I broke down. "What'm I gonna do?" I kept howling. McGonagall tried to comfort me but looked like she never had had much practice in such things. Eventually my crying stopped and I hiccupped myself into silence. McGonagall still looked worried but also slightly relieved that I had stopped wailing like a banshee (I wonder if those are real…hmmm…).

"Sorry, I just had to let that out. Where are we going?" I asked in a hoarse voice.

"It is quite alright, and we are going to Diagon Alley." She replied.

"Where's—"

"You'll see." She said with the first full-out smile I had ever seen on her face.

**(A/N: Dude, I'm sorry ya'll! I totally meant to upload earlier but then I had to type two long and tedious papers and then Thanksgiving happened….I've just now awakened from the food coma . Also, I didn't mean for this chapter to turn out this way but the characters have minds of their own. Don't worry; I will try to keep the drama down to minimum for a while. One last thing, I don't own Harry Potter, I am a poor collegian.**

**P.S. Reviews= Quicker Updates)**


	4. Better than a Cardboard Box

**(A/N: Sooooo…. It took me nine days to find some inspiration to update this story. Why? Only one more person reviewed. It made me sad. But oh well, maybe people will see fit to review after this chapter *cough* hint *cough* Anyway, enough of my pleading for reviews. I don't own Harry Potter or "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles. I wish I did, then I could pay my own tuition. ^^"" Enough of that, here's the new chapter…Enjoy!)**

**Chapter 3: Better than a Cardboard Box **

She pulled what appeared to be a worn out old sock from one of her pockets. I stared.

"Grab onto this, if you please." The professor requested as though it was a perfectly normal thing for a person to grab a nasty sock.

_Why not?_ I thought. _I've certainly got nothing to lose._ Just as I touched the sock it glowed a blinding blue color and I felt myself being pulled forward and then spinning for a couple of seconds. When I let go, I promptly fell over. As I got up and dusted myself off I realized something. We weren't in Austin anymore. We appeared to be in a grubby looking pub.

"Um….Professor? Where are we exactly?" I asked quietly because there were a lot of strange people around.

"The Leaky Cauldron in London" She replied matter-of-factly. "We have come here so that we can find you a place to stay and can get you your school things."

"L-London? How did that icky sock get us across the Atlantic Ocean, Professor?" I stammered as we walked toward some old bald guy who looked like he owned the place. Her mouth quirked at my question.

"It was a Portkey, or an object enchanted to take you to a pre-set place." She explained and then turned to baldy.

"Hello, Professor, what can I do you for?" the man asked in a kind voice.

"I was wondering if you would be willing to let young Miss Weasley stay here until term starts, Tom." McGonagall asked.

Tom started to look uncomfortable. My heart sank.

"Well, the thing is professor…business isn't doing too well and I can't even afford to have someone entertain our guests, much less let someone stay here for free." He replied uncomfortably.

That's when I noticed a beat-up old piano shoved in the corner with a few cobwebs on it. An idea sprang into my head. My used-to-be-sorta parents had me take piano lessons and much to my surprise, I was actually pretty decent at playing the instrument.

"Excuse me Mr. Tom? I can play the piano pretty well, would you be willing to let me stay if I play the piano every night?" I asked nervously. He seemed to be thinking it over pretty hard, frowning.

"Can you sing?" he asked.

"Yes, I have been in one choir or another since I was little." I replied hoping that that was enough; I really didn't want to sleep in a cardboard box. His face softened a little.

"Well, if you could show us something I'm sure we could work something out." He said as though he was really hoping this would work out. I walked over to the piano contemplating what I could easily play while singing and it came to me: "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles. I set my backpack down against the bench, dusted the piano off a little and began playing,

_Head under water  
>And they tell me to breathe easy for a while<br>The breathing gets harder, even I know that  
>Made room for me but it's too soon to see<br>If I'm happy in your hands_

_I'm unusually hard to hold on to  
>Blank stares at blank pages<br>No easy way to say this  
>You mean well, but you make this hard on me<br>_

_I'm not gonna write you a love song  
>'cause you asked for it<br>'cause you need one, you see  
><em> 

At this point, just about everyone in the pub was staring at me their mouths agape. They hadn't expected a twiggy 11 year old to be able to belt out a song quite like this. Professor McGonagall was just as shocked, but she also looked somewhat proud of me. Tom looked like all his dreams just came true. I smiled as I continued._  
><em> 

_I'm not gonna write you a love song  
>'cause you tell me it's<br>Make or break in this  
>If you're on your way<br>I'm not gonna write you to stay  
>If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better<br>Reason to write you a love song today_

_I learned the hard way  
>That they all say things you want to hear<br>And my heavy heart sinks deep down under you and  
>Your twisted words,<br>Your help just hurts  
>You are not what I thought you were<br>Hello to high and dry  
>Convinced me to please you<br>Made me think that I need this too  
>I'm trying to let you hear me as I am<em>

At this point, my face clouded thinking of this morning's events. _Come on Kayla, power through this!_ I thought fiercely to myself.__

_I'm not gonna write you a love song  
>'cause you asked for it<br>'cause you need one, you see  
>I'm not gonna write you a love song<br>'cause you tell me it's  
>Make or break in this<br>If you're on your way  
>I'm not gonna write you to stay<br>If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better  
>Reason to write you a love song today<em>

_Promise me that you'll leave the light on  
>To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone<br>'cause I believe there's a way you can love me  
>Because I say<br>I won't write you a love song  
>'cause you asked for it<br>'cause you need one, you see_

_I'm not gonna write you a love song  
>'cause you tell me it's make or break in this<br>Is that why you wanted a love song  
>'cause you asked for it<br>'cause you need one, you see  
>I'm not gonna write you a love song<br>'cause you tell me it's make or break in this  
>If you're on your way<br>I'm not gonna write you to stay  
>If your heart is nowhere in it<br>I don't want it for a minute  
>Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that<br>There's a reason to  
>Write you a love song today<em>

As I finished playing, the pub was still silent from shock for a moment and then to my surprise they all started clapping. My face turned redder than a tomato at that. I mean, I didn't think I was **that** good. Tom hurried through the crowd towards to me.

"Miss Weasley, I do believe this will work out! Tell me, where did you get that song from?" he asked excitedly.

"A non-magical artist by the name of Sara Bareilles." I replied thoroughly relieved to now have a place to stay that was warm and dry. Professor McGonagall waved at me to go over where she was standing.

"That was excellent, Miss Weasley. Now, before Tom shows you to your room there are a few things you need and that I need to tell you. Firstly, behind the pub there is a wall that when tapped with a wand lets you enter Diagon Alley where there are shops with things you will need for school. Tom can help you get in your first time. Secondly here, this is some money for you to purchase your supplies. The large gold ones are Galleons, the silver ones are Sickles, and the small bronze one are Knuts. Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to the Sickle. Also, here is your ticket to the train. It leaves from Platform 9 ¾ at 11 a.m. from King's Cross station. Finally and most importantly, to get onto the platform walk through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Do try and be sneaky about it, too." She said with the same expression she had when she announced why she was at my old house. My mind was reeling as I tried to commit all of this to my memory.

"I will, Professor! Thank you for everything!" I called as she turned to leave. She paused.

"You are most certainly welcome. Also, try to take care of yourself Miss Weasley." She said with a soft expression as she once again turned and left the dank pub.

As Tom showed me to my room we discussed my schedule. I would sing and play for a couple of hours each night when the post-work rush came through. When we reached room 11 Tom gave me the key and told me to make myself at home and that dinner was at 5.

I unlocked the door and surveyed my new home. There was an old mirror that told me to straighten my glasses (seriously? a talking mirror?), a musty looking bed, and a wardrobe. I dropped my backpack and promptly flumped onto the bed. It had been the oddest, longest, toughest, and most magical birthday of my life.


	5. Nerds of a Feather Flock Together

**(A/N: I must be suicidal. Posting another chapter almost right after the last one. It's 1 am. I have classes tomorrow. Well, screw my classes! I got a review that made me smile and feel like writing another chapter. Anyway, I somehow STILL do not own Harry Potter or any other book or song I may mention in this chapter. I am just a poooooor college student who lives off of ramen and mountain dew. Also, I forgot to mention this but this story takes place in the present day. I would have it in the early nineties like it is supposed to be but I wasn't even born until '93 or Harry's third year soooo yeah. I wouldn't know much about that time. Oh and did anyone notice how I put Kayla in the same room Harry's in in the Prisoner of Azkaban? Dang, I'm a nerd ^^")**

**Chapter 4: Nerds of a Feather Flock Together**

It's been a couple of months and I was running short on ideas for songs to sing. I mean, I've already done pretty much every notable song by Journey, all of the songs from Lady Gaga's Born This Way album, and several other songs. I was stumped. Luckily for me, there was a cd store next door to the Leaky Cauldron so I decided to go there and listen to some of the newer stuff and maybe get some sheet music so I could try them. Oh, I forgot to mention this but I have actually started getting paid because business has gone up since I started performing. My "muggle music" was quite popular. This still confuses me because Joey always said I sounded like a donkey having its knees smashed. Of course, I knew better than to actually believe him, but his words didn't help my self-esteem either._ Don't think about them,_ I chastised myself.

Back to my mission for new music, I put on my new sweater over my Linkin Park shirt and put on my worn out black skinny jeans and my converse. It is cold in London. Well to ME, I lived in Austin most of my life and by this time over there I would be wearing tank tops and shorts to my heart's content. Making sure I had some non-magical money (I don't like saying muggle, it makes me feel racist or something), I set off for the music store with a quick "see you" to Tom as I passed by the bar. As I walked out of the grungy pub, I looked up and down the street because I hadn't really been out in the non-magical world in a while. I looked across the street and gasped.

There was a Barnes& Noble's. I completely forgot about my mission at hand and, barely watching to see if any cars were passing, ran straight into that store. I was in heaven! Sure I had my Kindle, but I had long since read all of the books on there several times and the internet doesn't work around magic so I couldn't get any new ones. I rushed over to the 'teens' section and saw a cover that caught my eye.

"Twilight, huh?" I read the back and decided to start reading it. About half way through it, I couldn't control myself any longer. I just burst out laughing. A girl around my age with bushy brown hair who happened to be passing by looked at me questioningly.

"The- the writing- is SO bad! The characters have virtually no personality and the plot is weak!" I explained giggling at how horrible the book was. The girl held out her hand to see what book I was reading and looked at the title. Then she started giggling too.

"Twilight really is awful, isn't it?" She snickered out.

That was all it took. For a while we kept discussing how bad Twilight was, then we moved on to other books we read, and how much fun reading is. It was really fun talking to someone my age for the first time in too long. Eventually our talking turned toward the past.

"What's your name by the way? I'm Hermione Granger. Also, where are you from, you have an interesting accent?" Hermione asked.

"My name's Kayla Sm- I mean-Weasley, and I am from Austin, Texas." I replied stumbling over my last name almost saying Smith out of habit.

"Really? I've read all about it for a project in school. Is it really "weird"?" she asked curiously.

"Weird doesn't even begin to describe it." I say, remembering an eventful drive down the infamous sixth street in which I saw a male college student in a female hula costume, a hobo talking to a tree, and several other things I wished to unsee.

Hermione giggled and then looked at her watch, "Holy Crickett! I was supposed to meet my parents at the burger place next door 15 minutes ago!"

So we walked out of the store together and when she saw me about to cross the street for the Leaky Cauldron she stopped me.

"You can see it?" she asked very quietly.

"Yes." I said confused because she could. Non-magical people couldn't-

"You're a witch too?" I asked excitedly though still quiet.

"Yes! I found out on my birthday last September. Are you starting at Hogwarts this year as well?" Hermione questioned in one breath.

"Yep, I guess I will see ya there!" I reply and head across the street with a smile on my face. I finally have a friend.

As I walked into the pub Tom greeted me and then asked, "So how was the music shopping?"

"Crud!" I yelped and ran back out and went to the music store.


	6. Of Snobs, Robes, and Fireworks

**(A/N: Sorry for the late update ya'll, but I had finals to study for and then proceed to take. This is by far my longest chapter so far and I hope ya'll enjoy it. ^^ Oh yeah, I don't own Harry Potter or any songs in this chappie. Review, kthnxbai!)**

**Chapter 5: Of Snobs, Robes, and Fireworks**

So, it's the last day of July and I'd like to think I've adjusted somewhat to the magical world by now. After my first trip to Diagon Alley escorted by Tom, I bought my wand from this weird old dude named Ollivander. My wand is 12 inches long and made of oak and unicorn hair is its core. (My eyes bugged out when Ollivander told me this, cause—I mean—UNICORNS?) It's pretty cool having a wand though I don't know how to do spells yet. Anyway, I've been getting my school supplies over the past few months and I've run into all sorts of people and creatures in my little excursions to Diagon Alley. The bank, Gringotts, is run by goblins. GOBLINS! I think someone'd have to be friggin' insane to try and rob it. Eventually I got used to them though because I've had to go exchange money and get my own vault. I was brought out of my musings by the pub suddenly going silent.

Apparently there was some hubbub going on about this boy with black hair, green eyes, and a lightning shaped scar on his forehead that Hagrid had brought here with him. (I've met and seen Hagrid here a LOT. He's really nice once you get past his size) Apparently he's famous because suddenly just about everyone in the pub got up to introduce themselves to him. I heard someone call him Harry Potter. Poor Harry looked overwhelmed by the amount of random witches and wizards shaking his hand so I figured I'd leave him alone. I'd probably see him at Hogwarts.

Before all my musings and the ruckus at the pub I had been planning to buy my robes today after breakfast. (I had been putting this off so that I wouldn't out grow them before school) So I finished eating my neglected toast and bacon, went upstairs to get fully dressed, grabbed my wand, grabbed my money, and walked down to the clothing shop. There were two people getting fitted at the moment both boys, so I sat at the front to wait. One of them was the Harry dude from earlier and he looked uncomfortable once again. He was talking to this snobby pale boy. I couldn't catch all of what the pale guy was saying but I did catch the tone of disdain and self-love that just made me nauseous. Just then, Harry's robes were fitted and he paid and left looking glad to be going back to the ice cream laden Hagrid. Madame Malkin took me back to fit me in my robes while also working on the snob's.

The snob turned to me and drawled, "I'm Draco Malfoy and you are my future girlfriend."

I stared at him in disbelief and replied, "In your dizziest day-dreams, dude."

He cocked his head to the side and ignoring my snark asked, "Where _are_ you from?"

_This guy does not take a hint. _I replied in the coldest tone I could muster, "Texas, so you better back off 'cause there's a reason they say 'don't mess with Texas'."

Finally he shows some sign of hearing what I say and he looks amused (the jerk) and he says, "We Malfoys always get what we want."

At this point his robes are done, and with his irritating smirk firmly in place, he left. My robes were done soon as well but I hardly noticed because of my fury. _I thought I left the jerks in Texas!_

Whilst storming back to the Leaky Cauldron, I bumped into something huge and solid and promptly fell on my butt. It was Hagrid. Harry helped me up.

"Thanks!" I said blushing like crazy.

Hagrid turned around to see why Harry stopped. "Oh, hello Kayla! How are yeh? This here's Harry Potter; Harry, this is Kayla, though I reckon you've seen each other before by the looks of it."

"Hello." Harry said in a quiet voice.

"Nice to meetcha, I would have said hi in the Leaky Cauldron but you looked kinda overwhelmed." I say smiling and holding out my hand. Harry shook it tentatively as though expecting me to suddenly start doing something weird.

"Yeah, it was pretty odd having all of those strangers. And they all think I'm really extraordinary, but I don't get it." He says before really thinking it through and then blushes.

"Well, I perform at the Leaky Cauldron in about an hour if you want to come." I offer because my bag of robes is cutting into my fingers.

"We'd love ter!" Hagrid said before Harry could respond.

"See ya'll then!" I say and I head back to my room.

Once in my room, I decided I had some time to kill before heading down to perform so I picked up _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ which I had picked up to learn about the wizarding war that mad my life such a mess that was caused by some mad man called Voldemort. I was most of the way through when I read the final chapter title, _Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived_. _SAY WHAT?_ I exclaimed in my head. Then I plunged on and read this chapter at top speed. By the end of it, I was thoroughly sad. Harry's life made mine look like a freakin' picnic in the park. Voldemort killed his parents when he was a baby and tried to kill him too. The scuzbag's curse rebounded though, destroying himself and giving Harry his famous scar. I looked at the time and headed downstairs with a song already picked out in my head. Firework by Katy Perry just fits for most of what I wanted to say to encourage the poor orphan and it also reminded me of my situation. The pub was pretty crowded, but I was able to spot Hagrid and Harry sitting in the back. I started without so much of a 'Hi, how are ya?'.

_Do you ever feel like a plastic bag,_

_drifting through the wind_

_wanting to start again?_

_Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin_

_like a house of cards,_

_one blow from caving in?_

_Do you ever feel already buried deep?_

_6 feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing_

_Do you know that there's still a chance for you_

_'Cause there's a spark in you_

_You just gotta ignite, the light, and let it shine_

_Just own the night like the 4th of July_

_'Cause baby you're a firework_

_Come on, show 'em what you're worth_

_Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"_

_As you shoot across the sky-y-y_

_Baby, you're a firework_

_Come on, let your colors burst_

_Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"_

_You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe_

_You don't have to feel like a waste of space_

_You're original, cannot be replaced_

_If you only knew what the future holds_

_After a hurricane comes a rainbow_

_Maybe your reason why all the doors are closed_

_So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road_

_Like a lightning bolt, _(I cut my eyes at Harry at this part and he just gaped)_your heart will glow_

_And when it's time, you'll know_

_You just gotta ignite, the light, and let it shine_

_Just own the night like the 4th of July_

_'Cause baby you're a firework_

_Come on, show 'em what you're worth_

_Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"_

_As you shoot across the sky-y-y_

_Baby, you're a firework_

_Come on, let your colors burst_

_Make 'em go "Oh, Oh, Oh"_

_You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe_

_Boom, boom, boom_

_Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon_

_It's always been inside of you, you, you_

_And now it's time to let it through-ough-ough_

_'Cause baby you're a firework_

_Come on, show 'em what you're worth_

_Make 'em go "Oh, Oh, Oh"_

_As you shoot across the sky-y-y_

_Baby, you're a firework_

_Come on, let your colors burst_

_Make 'em go "Oh, Oh, Oh"_

_You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe_

_Boom, boom, boom_

_Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon_

_Boom, boom, boom_

_Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon_

After finishing this song, I looked over at Harry again and he looked dumbfounded at the fact that someone sang a song to him and that the song was encouraging. I continued with the rest of my set and after my final song, Born This Way by Lady Gaga (it's a real crowd pleaser), I walked over to Harry and Hagrid who were still clapping.

"Hey." I said like I totally hadn't sung a song to Harry. He was blushing profusely.

"Those were some nice songs yeh sang." Hagrid said smiling.

"Thanks Hagrid." I said blushing almost as much as Harry.

Hagrid took out a pocket watch and swore quietly. "Harry, we better git goin', your train leaves in twenty minutes! See yer, Kayla!"

"See you." Harry mumbled, gathering his stuff and owl.

"Bye!" I said.

I walked off to my room and flumped onto my bed smiling to myself. _I now know two people that are going to Hogwarts with me next month!_ I thought giddily. But then I went cold remembering that I could be meeting my biological family that same day. _Only me,_ I thought, _only me._


	7. Chapter 6 couldn't come up with a name

**(A/N: Merry Christmas! For your present I give you this lovely chapter. Also, I don't own anything but this laptop and a new i-pod. WARNING: major drama and obscene amounts of food in this chapter; if either of these things disgust you, don't leave a review. Otherwise,…..PLEASE REVIEW, IT'S ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!)**

**Chapter 6: Unnamed**

I am pacing. Why? I'm going to Hogwarts today. So yeah, I'm freaking out here. I can't stop pacing or the jitters I'm experiencing. I still have a couple of hours till I have to get to the stations so I'm just pacing and try not to pace at the same time. I imagine it looks pretty funny, me walking quickly towards one side of the room only to stop suddenly and then start walking again. Well, I gathered it looked funny 'cause when Tom came in with my morning hot cocoa (I told him that I don't like tea the first morning so he brings me cocoa instead) he just stared with a caring and slightly amused expression.

I just can't help it, and as my time to leave came closer the 'what ifs' decided to show up in my mind. _What if I'm late? What if I forget something? What if there aren't any seats left for me? What if I suck at magic? What if I don't like the food there? What if I run into my real family? What if they don't believe I'm Ron's twin? What if they hate me? What if my mom doesn't even remember me? What if they really hate me?..._ On and on it went.

Until I looked at the clock. My cab is gonna be here in five minutes!

"Crap crap crap crap crap _CRAP!_" was my mantra as I got dressed and shoved my pj's in the trunk I had bought and then dragged it down the stairs nearly mowing down some old witches on their way to their room. I was just getting out of the door when the cab rolled up. I rushed in, handed the irritable looking man the money, and then we were off.

In no time, we were there. I rushed off towards the platforms with twenty minutes till the train was to leave. Once I got between platforms nine and ten, I casually kept walking until I went through the barrier and let me tell you, it was weird walking through an apparently solid wall.

For a minute, I just stood there taking in what was going on. There were teens of all shapes and sizes in robes and normal clothes pushing trunks with owls or cats in cages above them looking for seats or stopping to chat with others that looked like their families and friends. I started walking again, observing the huge red steam-engine. I figured that I would start in the front of the train and work my way back looking for a seat.

As the train was about to leave, there weren't many seats left. I was keeping my eyes peeled for Harry and Hermione but I hadn't seen them anywhere. However, I did run into several people and when I'd say excuse me, they'd ask me about where I was from and after that something to the tone of where are my cowboy boots. Needless to say, I was getting pretty frustrated when I got to the end of the train. Then, to my immeasurable relief, I spotted Harry in the last compartment.

"Hey Harry, can I please sit with you?" I gasped out, my trunk was HEAVY.

"Sure." He replied kindly, but distractedly too. He was listening to a family outside the train. A family with red hair. Very familiar red hair.

There were twin boys teasing the youngest brother who looked like the boy version of me but with more freckles. There was an even younger girl crying because she was too young to come to Hogwarts. Keeping the twins in line at the same time as she was comforting the daughter, was a kind-faced woman. I paled while a strong suspicion of who they were creeped into my brain. Harry backed into his seat as the family talked about meeting him on the platform. He looked curious about my paleness and my resemblance towards the family but he didn't say anything as they might have heard him. The children minus their sister walked away and got on the train after hugs from their mom.

"Er…you wouldn't happen to be related to them, would you?" Harry asked awkwardly.

"Maybe, I really don't know my real family." I blurted out, as I often do when nervous.

Before Harry could do more that look sympathetic and sad, the youngest brother and my almost-copy walked in.

"Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full." He asked.

"Sure." Was once again Harry's response; I just sat there gaping like a fish.

"I'm Ron Weasley." He said.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

"I'm Kayla. Kayla Weasley."

Now he was the one gaping like a fish, except I couldn't figure out at who. At this point the twins walked in. They didn't pay me much attention as of yet.

"Hey Ron." One of them said.

"We're going to be up at the middle of the train, Lee Jordan is going to show us his pet tarantula." The other said grinning.

"Right." Said Ron.

The twins turned their attention to Harry. "Didn't introduce ourselves did we? Fred and George Weasley."

They shook Harry's hand and as they turned, they spotted me and then did a double take. ( Ron was standing right next to me.)

"And you are?" Fred asked in an odd voice.

"Kayla…..Kayla Weasley." I replied quietly.

I sighed and then repeated what McGonagall had said the morning my life turned upside down in a semi-steady voice. The three Weasley boys and Harry looked dumbstruck (Harry at least had the courtesy to look a little understanding).

"Bl-Blimey." Stuttered Ron, the first to break the silence.

The twins looked like they didn't know what to do so they left. Ron and Harry were still staring at me and since I couldn't stand the staring for one second longer, I had to say something.

"Look, this is almost as new to me as it is to ya'll. I get that I don't have the most normal life, but COULD YOU PLEASE STOP _STARING? _It's creeping me out!" And there is my temper that was hidden with my shock at meeting my family.

And the train ride kept on.

**(A/N: HA! Another cliffie! MUAHAHAHA!)**


	8. Friends, Family, Foes, and Frogs Oh My!

**(A/N: Wow, I just got word that my story was nominated for best story of 2012 O.O I did not see that coming….anyway, whoever nominated me deserves all the internet tacos and cookies I can send them ^^ Also, I own nothing, blah blah blah, review, blah blah… )**

**Chapter 7: Friends, Family, Foes, and Frogs. Oh my!**

Obviously searching for something to say, Ron turned to Harry and said, "So you're really Harry Potter? I thought it might have been one of Fred and George's jokes…"

"Yes." Replied Harry, looking kind of uncomfortable (actually, he looked downright freaked out). "But I don't remember anything but a load of green light."

"Do you really have the…" Ron began and Harry lifted his bangs to show his famous lightning scar.

"Okay, Ron, now that you've made things sufficiently awkward…. Could you tell me about our family?" I asked, not only because I was curious but because I wanted to shift a little of the attention off of Harry, who didn't seem to like it. I, at least, was semi-used to it after performing for months at the Leaky Cauldron. Well, not quite used to it so much as I no longer got paralyzing stage fright.

Harry smiled fleetingly at me from behind Ron. For some reason I started blushing.

"Well, there is Mum and Dad; Dad works in the ministry, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. Mum is home with all of us and is the world's best cook. Then there is Bill, the oldest of us, he does something for Gringotts; Charlie, he works with dragons; Percy, he's a prefect this year; Fred and George, the pranksters of the lot of us; Ginny, is the youngest and will be starting school next year." Reeled off Ron as though he'd had to say all that quite a lot. I, however, drank all this in like it was the last mountain dew in the fridge. Harry looked interested as well.

"So that's what wizards do once they get out of school?" He asked. "I had wondered about that."

Ron looked downright surprised that we found this all vitally interesting. "Yeah, but there are loads of other things you can do. It all depends on what you are good at."

"You must know loads of magic already, growing up with a family full of wizards. Wish I had seven magical siblings." Harry said sort of wistfully.

"You have nothing to worry about, plenty of people come from muggle families and they catch on quickly enough." Ron said kindly.

Just then, a witch came by with the snack trolley. Ron muttered something about having sandwiches. Harry and I both jumped up, however, and almost ran to the trolley. Harry bought some of everything. I however, being the chocaholic I am, bought quite a few chocolate frogs. When I got back to my seat Harry was trying to share his sweets with Ron.

"Look Ron, if Harry wants to share with you, let him." I said unwrapping my first frog and biting its legs off so it wouldn't try and escape. I had had one too many of those escape on me before.

"Glad to see those aren't real frogs." Harry muttered with a shocked expression at how violent I was to the chocolate.

"I was pretty shocked when I saw my first chocolate frog try and jump away. Everyone in the Leaky Cauldron laughed while watching my try and catch my chocolate." I said snickering along with Harry and Ron. At this point a rat poked it's head out of Ron's pocket and sniffed at the candy. Ron pulled the rat out.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless. I wanted an owl but we couldn't aff…I mean, I got Scabbers instead." He said blushing.

Harry told him not to feel bad and that he didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford stuff and that he didn't ever get anything but his fat cousins old clothes. It made me mad at how mistreated he was, but it seemed to cheer Ron up. I wondered if Harry was telling us everything, as well because he seemed entirely too skinny. I didn't want to ask him about it until I knew him better and we were alone so I wouldn't embarrass him. Right as I made that resolution, a new boy appeared, his face round and worried.

"Has anyone seen my toad?" he asked somewhat frantically.

"Sorry, but no." I said right as Harry said "He'll turn up."

"Well if you see him…." The toadless boy said as he left still panicking.

"Don't know why he's so bothered, I'd lose a toad as soon as possible if it were me…mind, I have Scabbers so I can't talk." Ron said (oblivious to the glare I was giving him for being mean about the toad) he was staring at the rat who was asleep (quel surprise) "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday, maybe it'll make him more interesting."

He pulled out his rather battered wand when a very familiar brunette came in with the toadless kid.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost him." Hermione asked.

"Still haven't, Hermione." I said wondering if she'd recognize me from Barnes&Noble.

"Kayla!" she squeeled. "Why on earth didn't you find me like you said you would?"

"I was trying to find you or Harry here but it was kinda hard with all the people asking me where my cowboy boots are." I said still disgruntled about people believing that stereotype.

She snorted. "Honestly, some people are so immature."

"Well, if that's all…" said Ron, looking uncomfortable at Hermione's continued presence here, and wanting to do his spell.

"Oooh…are you doing magic?" Hermione asked seeing his wand. "Let's see it then."

"Errr… Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!" Ron said waving the wand. Nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's a real spell, well it's not very good is it? I've tried a few spells and they all worked for me." Hermione said, and that didn't go over too well with Ron it seemed.

"Uhhh…can we keep looking for Trevor?" asked Neville timidly. I blinked, I had forgotten he was here. He and Hermione left.

I was glaring pretty severely at Ron, I mean, why did he have to be so rude? Harry seemed to sense that I was about to yell at Ron because he suddenly asked, " So what does Bill do for Gringotts?"

"Oh, he's a curse breaker for them in Egypt. That reminds me, did either of you hear?... someone tried to break into Gringotts!" Ron said.

"Really?" Harry and I exclaimed at the same time ad blinked at each other.

"Yeah, it was all over the paper….but I don't s'pose either of you get our paper what with growing up with muggles and all."

"What happened to them?" asked Harry.

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news." Ron said. "It's made a lot of people worry because they all think You-know-who might be behind it."

Harry's eyes darkened at the mention of old moldy-shorts so I decided to change the topic.

"So, I've been wondering…what's quidditch?" I asked with more interest than I actually had but know that Ron would like talking about sports.

So he went into a long winded explanation which Harry seemed to find mildly interesting. Just as Ron was getting into the more interesting parts the door to our compartment opened again.

This time it wasn't Hermione or Neville, but Paley McSnobby-voice and two thugs.

"I heard that Harry Potter was in this compartment. So it's you, is it?" he drawled at Harry.

"Yes." Said Harry.

"I'm Malfoy- Draco Malfoy." He said with such a snobbish air it should be illegal. Both Ron and I snickered at him. He looked around and noticed Ron and I. He sneered at Ron calling him scum and tried to kiss up to Harry by saying that he shouldn't hang out with "scum like him" or he'd die like his parents.

"Piss off! That's my brother and friend you're insulting, and frankly you disgust me!" I yelled at him, finally having had enough. Thug 1 and Thug 2 cracked their knuckles at me. Malfoy, however, had a smirk on his face.

"I like them feisty!" He said touching my nose in a patronizing way. I snarled and was about to slap him across the face, but Scabbers chose that moment to bite one of the thugs who was trying to steal sweets. On that note, they left.

"Jerks!" I fumed.

"_10 minutes until we reach Hogwarts."_ A voice boomed.

As we changed, the nerve I had experienced this morning returned in full force. It seemed I wasn't the only one, Harry and Ron were pale as ghosts as we left the train.

Our journey into our magical education was about to begin.

**(A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner! I had to pack everything back up and head back to college, then the internet at my dorm was being screwy….anyway, I updated now so don't nom me like a cookie!)**


	9. So I'm a snarky, loyal, and brave nerd?

**(A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated in a long while, it's just that inspiration and sleep have been hard to come by for me. Sleep, because my teachers think it's amusing to assign all their papers to be due at the same time, and for there to be a never ending supply of them. Inspiration, because no one is reviewing my story. Come on people! I don't care if it's a flame, concrit, love it, loathe it, or even a "cool story bro." Any of those would inspire me to write better and faster. Ranting aside, I don't own Harry Potter; enjoy this chapter!)**

**Chapter 8: So I'm a snarky, loyal, and brave nerd?**

Well first, we had to travel across the lake. Hagrid led us to a huge fleet of boats and told us only four could be in each. This presented a problem for Harry, Ron, and I because Hermione wanted to join us but didn't want Neville to be alone and neither did I. So I decided to let her and the boys spend some quality time together while I went to find an empty boat.

My luck being what it is, whose boat would be the only one with a spot left? Why, Draco Snob-foy and the Goonies'. Sighing I sat as far as I could in the back and started humming to try and ignore the idiots.

Snob-foy, of course, tried to chat me up but I kept ignoring him and just gazed in wonder at the humongous castle that wouldn't have been out of place in a fairytale. It was more beautiful than I had pictured before falling asleep each night.

As soon as the boat touched the shore, I staggered out of the boat and ran to catch up with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville (whom Hagrid had just given his toad back to.) I caught up with them right as Hagrid knocked on the largest door I've seen in my entire life.

Professor McGonagall answered and led us through the largest entrance hall I've ever seen. And they say everything's bigger in Texas! Anyway, our Pur-fessor (tee hee) led us to this small room to wait while she set up the stuff for us to be sorted. And that is when my nerves kicked in again.

How would we be sorted? What if I was in the same house as the idiot gang? What if I wasn't sorted at all? What if I tripped in front of the whole school? On and on this strain of thought went until I was broken out of my panic by the sight of _ghosts_ arguing as they passed through the room about someone called Peeves who apparently wanted to come to the feast.

At this point, Purfessor McGonagall came back and led us into the Great Hall as it is called. I was beyond having nerves at this point; it now felt as though I had full spinal cords. The entire student body was staring at us and when I looked up to avoid the stares, I gasped.

The ceiling looked like the night sky and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. We had stopped and I looked ahead of us and saw…..a hat. That sang about the different houses: How Ravenclaw was for smart people, Hufflepuff is for loyal, hardworking people, Gryffindor is for brave people, and Slytherin is for cunning people. _A hat is going to tell me where I belong?_ Anyway, Purfessor McGonagall started calling us alphabetically to try on the Sorting Hat. This reminded me why I have always hated having a last name at the end of the alphabet because of how much time it gave you to become more nervous.

Through my nervous haze, I couldn't help but notice how some of the Slytherins look like they were unpleasant people. If I recall correctly, Voldy-shorts was in that house. Ick. Well, whatever, I turned my attention back to the Sorting so I could watch Harry and Hermione get sorted. Hermione is now in Gryffindor. A little while later it was Harry's turn. This got people talking. _Poor Harry, he gets more attention than us all. _His sorting took longer than some of the others. However he, like Hermione, got into Gryffindor. It was as the twins started chanting that I realized my family is in that house as well.

The line was dwindling at an alarming pace and soon it was my turn.

"Weasley, Kayla!" McGonagall called out.

People, to my surprise, started muttering almost as loudly as they had done when Harry was being sorted as I walked up and put on the raggedy old hat of destiny.

"_I suppose I am raggedy. Anyway, to business: where to put you….. You've got brains, a penchant for sarcasm, fiercely loyal to your friends, and don't take insults or injustice lying down."_

_So I'm a snarky, loyal, and brave nerd?_

"_In a word yes, but there's still the matter of where to put you…."_

_Hmm…well I would say that Slytherin would be hellish for me what with Snob-foy and Ravenclaw might be a bit boring, so either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor would be cool with me. I'll deal with whichever choice you throw my way._

"_I think you would fit well in…"_

**(A/N: HA! My most diabolical cliffie yet!)**


	10. Yes, I'm Your Sister Now whats your name

**(A/N: Hi! No, I did not drop off of the face of the planet; school and work are just horribly time consuming. Thank you to the people who reviewed. Anyhoo, I still somehow don't own Harry Potter. Enjoy this chapter!)**

**Chapter 9: Yes, I'm your sister….Now, what's your name?**

"….GRYFFINDOR!"

My head was spinning. Quickly, and none too gracefully, I put the hat back on the stool and walked over to sit next to Harry and Hermione who were smiling. Next to them were some familiar red-heads, the oldest of whom was gaping at me. More on that later.

Ron was walking up to the hat at the moment. He placed the hat on his head and after a short moment, it cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Our table cheered and clapped once more as Ron walked over while some Zabini fellow got sorted into Slytherin. When Ron got to the table, is when all heck broke loose.

"But-what-how- What the bloody hell is going on here?" blustered a completely confused Percy who was looking between Ron and I. The twins looked mystified at Percy's language which made me giggle as I seem to do at the worst possible times. Percy glared, still wanting an explanation.

"It's a long sad story, but in a nutshell: While our mom was pregnant with Ron and I she was hit by a stray curse. That curse transported me to the doorstep of a non-magical American family and sent mom into labor with Ron. Professor McGonagall said that mom never told any of you because she was too heartbroken." I said all of this in a ripping-off- a-bandaid sort of way in one breath.

Percy's jaw hit the table. The elder twins snickered and muttered, "So worth it…" Percy's head snapped towards them.

"What do you mean by 'so worth it?'" he asked suspiciously, eying the elder twins.

"We met Kayla earlier on the train." they smirked in perfect synchronization. (I wondered if Ron and I would start doing that at some point.)

"And you didn't bother to tell me this because….?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

(Insert Percy's facepalm) "Shouldn't have asked." He grumbled. "Anyway, this isn't something you two should be joking about."

"Well pardon us for needing some time to get used to the idea ourselves." Scoffed Fred.

"Also, why don't we grab some food before Ron eats it all." Suggested George.

Food had just appeared all across the hall. Harry's and my jaws dropped. I quickly grabbed some fries, mashed potatoes, steak, and chicken legs. The others stared at me.

"What? I'm hungry!" I said before hastily scooping mashed potatoes into my mouth in a not-too-ladylike fashion.

"She's definitely Ron's twin." Snorted Percy of all people. (What? He just seems so…goody goody)

"Oi whassat supozzt oomean?" exclaimed Ron through a huge mouthful of chicken.

Hermione and I just looked at him. Then I went back to my frenzied scarfing down of food while others talked. After a while, people started talking about their families. This Seamus boy's mom didn't tell his dad that she was a witch until after they were married. I frowned at that, it seems that he was pretty lucky his dad took it well. If Seamus' story upset me it was nothing compared to Neville's. It was appalling! His grandma and other relatives were constantly trying to force the magic out of him! From what he said, he's lucky to be alive. They should have accepted him for who he was. The exact opposite of what the Smiths did with me….and moving on before I start brooding.

Hermione was talking about lessons with Percy. She seemed interested in transfiguration. I threw in my two cents there.

"I think I'm looking forward to potions the most. I mean, it just seems like something creative right?" I said, and then I frowned when the elder twins (seems like that's how I'm going to refer to them in my internal musings) choked on their drinks and started laughing.

"What?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Snape hates all of us Gryffindors and so potions is pretty much the worst class here besides history of magic." George explained. Fred pointed to this greasy old-ish teacher that looked like a bat who was talking to a nervous dude in a turban. Harry looked too then winced and yelped,"Ouch!"

"What's up?" asked Percy concernedly.

"N-nothing." Harry replied oh-so-convincingly, however I just decided to drop it.

By then the dessert had appeared. I was in heaven. I got some pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, and some orange jell-o. Man was I glad this place had plenty of food, I could get used to this. Just then, Dumbledore, (who I recognized from Harry's first chocolate frog card) stood up and gave the start of term speech. All of it seemed like typical start of the school year stuff except for mentioning that a third floor corridor was off limits to "anyone who did not wish to die a most painful death." Harry asked Percy what that was about and he didn't know but he thought he should because he is a prefect. Geezum, this 'I'm a prefect' junk is gonna get old.

A bunch of canes were suddenly floating over us. Percy explained that it was Peeves, a poltergeist. He then tried to get the poltergeist to stop throwing canes at us and leave. He threatened him with the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost. And after dropping all of the canes on Neville, he did leave. Percy didn't appreciate me jokingly pointing that out, he led us on huffing once again about being a prefect.

We followed Percy up stairs, through hidden passageways, and- Oh, I'm going to get so lost for a long time before I remember all of this. I simply have no sense of direction. We stopped in front of a picture of a let's just say "fluffy" lady in a pink silk dress and Percy said that the password is "caput draconis."

We walked into a huge, circular room filled with red armchairs and couches and a huge fireplace. It looked really cozy. Percy pointed to a staircase that led to the girls dormitories and Hermione and I and the others went up. As my not-so-often luck would have it, Hermione and I were placed side by side. I grinned at her wishing her a good night. After that, I plopped down on my bed and was out in seconds. It had been a looooooooooong day.

**(A/N: Once again, I am really sorry about the long pause in updating. This is just the first time after starting work at WalMart as a cashier where I haven't collapsed on my bed from exhaustion. Before that, I had many end-of-semester essays to complete and my computer decided to delete most of an 8-page one the night before it was due. I'll try and update quicker next time, but it would help if people reviewed more! Thanks for reading and sticking with me!)**


	11. Did Somebody Say Bacon?

**(A/N: I'm sooooo happy that 6 people reviewed last chapter! It warmed my heart and made me grin like an idiot at my laptop. Anyhooties, if I owned Harry Potter would I really be writing a fanfic about it? Enjoy! Review! PAAAAAAAAAAASTAAA!~)**

**Chapter 10: Did Somebody Say Bacon?**

"Is she….dead?"

"No, she appears to be breathing….. and drooling, lovely!"

"Bugger! If she doesn't get up soon, there won't be any bacon left!"

I had been in a blissful state of being three-quarters of the way still asleep when the most heavenly word snapped me out of it. I popped out of my cocoon of covers and exclaimed, "Did somebody say bacon?"

My dormmates' expressions varied from being amused to being faintly disgusted at my overenthusiastic reaction to the mention of the most delicious thing besides chocolate and mountain dew. Hermione's reaction was the best though; she actually made a note of this so she would know how to wake me up in the future.

I sprang out of bed and dashed to the bathroom to get ready. One look at the beast on the top of my head after my 5 minute shower said that anything but a ponytail or messy bun would be a waste to attempt. I settled for the bun. I had no issues putting on my uniform until I was trying to do up my tie.

Hermione came in after hearing the fit of swearing I was going through while being nearly strangled by my tie that had somehow gotten tangled around my right arm, head, and neck. After snapping a picture, Hermione came over, untangled me and fixed my tie. I loosened it quite a bit because I really can NOT stand having things close to my neck. I pulled on my converse and Hermione and I (the others had abandoned us) rushed out of the dorm grabbing our bags.

Mostly I followed Hermione (who had been paying attention last night) down to the Great Hall. The heavenly smell of food brought a huge grin to my face that made Hermione giggle. We quickly spotted Ron and Harry half way down the table and hastened to join them.

"BACON! Oh, and hi you two! But also…BACON!" I cried diving for the breakfast time treat. Harry looked a little puzzled at my reaction which was quite adorable…. wait, why did I just think that? Anyway, Ron had replied, "I know, it's bloody delicious!"

"Ron, you shouldn't swear!" Hermione reprimanded.

"Be quite, _mum_!" he snapped. I tried to glare at him, but couldn't quite manage it with the smile-inducing bacon. Hermione looked fairly hurt at that comment. So then I kicked Ron under the table with an innocent expression on my face.

"What'd you do that for?" Ron exclaimed.

"I didn't do anything; I have NO clue what you are talking about!" I replied with fake, but semi-believable indignance. Hermione threw me a small smile. I winked back. Harry had just been watching this with a vaguely amused expression on his face.

"So, how are you this fine morning Harry?" I asked trying to guide things in a less violent direction.

"I'm fi-" He started but couldn't finish.

A crap-ton of owls had flown in delivering letters and such and he and I (and a lot of people raised by muggles (yes, I said muggles, I've found it easier to say)) just stared for a moment.

"I hope none of them poop on the food." Was my brilliant comment on the owls' arrival. The boys looked amused and Hermione looked faintly grossed out. Just then, McGonagall started handing us our schedules. _Aw crap, we have potions with the snakes….Herbology with the Hufflepuffs? I wonder if anyone else finds the alliteration in that funny…._

Without a pause, we got up and started off to our first class. It was a lot harder than it sounds because people kept doubling back in their lines to see Harry again. And it seemed to be making the guy increasingly frustrated, let me tell you. Eventually we made our way to Transfiguration. McGonagall is a bad-ass, I've already decided. She is strict, tough, clever, and I could already tell she is going to be my favorite teacher. I only wish I was better at her class. All I managed to do to my match that I was supposed to be turning into a needle was turn it silver. Hermione got it much faster than the rest of us. McGonagall smiled at her and I gave her a thumbs up. Ron and Harry seemed a little put out by her quick learning skills though.

On the other hand, Charms is really fun and easy for me. Our teacher, Professor Flitwick, is tiny and excitable. He squeaked and toppled over after reading Harry's name on the roll for crying out loud! Astronomy is on midnight Wednesday…ack, I'm a person who needs their sleep…or caffeine, I'm not too picky. Herbology and my klutziness do not mix well either. It's lucky the Hufflepuffs are so nice; I have a feeling the other houses wouldn't be as good about helping me up after tripping for the fourteenth time in the first class. Defense Against the Dark Arts is just….a waste of time, really. Quirrell does not know how to teach or keep a class in line. Plus, he's kind of creepy. I dunno why I think he's creepy, I just do. History of Magic is wonderful though; once you got past the boring voice of the ghost who taught it, it was really interesting. Too bad only Hermione and I thought so. It is kind of off-putting when the rest of the class is snoring.

By Friday, I had the lay of the land. I actually managed to find my own way to the Great Hall and was eating my bacon (you're shocked I'm sure) and chatting away with Harry, Ron, and Hermione about nothing in particular when Harry's owl flew down and gave him a letter. Hagrid had invited him to tea. Harry said that Ron and I could come as well. I didn't miss the fact that Hermione had not been invited. I looked at her questioningly and she gave me a "just go and have fun" look.

And trust me, we would need that fun.

~oOo~

Snape is such a…a… a butt trumpet! He asked Harry a bunch of advanced and trick questions to make him look stupid. It made me sooo mad. Hermione knew all of the answers and I knew some as well, but we had read ahead. It just wasn't fair. On top of that, when Neville's cauldron melted and he got hurt by his potion Snape made fun of him and took points from Harry for not watching Neville. So, like I said, butt TRUMPET!

After saying goodbye to Hermione, (and promising to hang out with her later) I headed off with Harry and Ron down to Hagrids. We were immediately assaulted by a huge lovable (and slightly slobbery) black dog named Fang. Hagrid asked us about school and when we told him about Filch the icky caretaker accusing us of trying to go into the forbidden corridor on purpose (Quirrell had saved us, which I found odd for some reason I just still can NOT place) he happily bashed the caretaker and offered to introduce Fang to Mrs. Norris, Filch's feline cohort. We all laughed and talked about a load of stuff that had happened through the week. When we got to today's less with the butt trumpet, Hagrid said that Snape hated anyone who wasn't in Slytherin and not to take it personally. When Harry pointed out that Snape really seemed to loathe him, Hagrid hastily changed the subject to talking about Ron and I's second oldest brother Charlie. Harry, who was lost in thought it seemed, suddenly spotted an article about the Gringotts break in. When Harry pointed out that it happened the same day that he and Hagrid had been there, Hagrid wouldn't look any of us in the eye.

Well, looks like this year's going to be quite lively…and just when I got back into having a routine, too!

**(A/N: I would just like to thank the people that reviewed again, it truly encourages and inspires me when I read them. I know I don't update that regularly, but with WalMart's wack scheduling, it's kind of difficult. Nevertheless, I will never give up on this story. I hope ya'll enjoyed this chappie, please review!)**


	12. Somewhere Over the Sna-aaaaaaakes

**(A/N: Hello, peeps! Sorry about being crappy about updating, but I had to pack and move back to school. I'm just going to say it right now; this semester is going to be a beast. O.O Nevertheless, I would like to thank people for reviewing and say that I will continue to update when I can. I am still poor, still in college….so I don't own Harry Potter. Please review, they're like energy drinks for my fingers! ^^)**

**Chapter 11: Somewhere Over the Sna-aaaaaakes…**

I don't know who Snob-foy loves to piss off more: Harry or me. Seriously, Harry's an easy-going guy most of the time but the idiot just has to go out of his way to ruin whatever good mood Harry might be in. He STILL thinks that acting like a prick to my friends and then saying cheesy lines to me is a bona fide way of making me like him. So, needless to say, Harry and I (along with Ron and Hermione) were thrilled that we only have to deal with him and his cronies during Potions.

But of course, that would be just too easy, now wouldn't it? Flying lessons were going to start up this week and who should we Gryffindors have to have them with other than the Slytherins? Oh joy upon joy. Up until then, pretty much all the guys were looking forward to flying. Now Harry was worried about making a fool about himself in front of Malfoy and I was forced to start plotting ways to avoid him. Ron was pretty good about cheering Harry up by telling him Malfoy was probably a crappy flyer and I tried to help by saying most of Malfoy's stories were untrue seeing as he probably didn't even know what helicopters are. Hermione isn't too fond of heights, but seemed to think if she read enough about flying it would help her be better at actually doing it. I however, having long since accepted my klutziness, figure that I would be doing well not to trip over the broom before I try to fly on it.

The morning of the flying lessons, Neville got a package from his grandma. Now, this in and of itself wasn't unusual, but this time instead of it being something that he had forgotten at home it was… a fancy magic marble? This I had to hear about.

"Hey Neville, whatcha got there?" I asked.

"It's a remembrall, if the smoke inside it turns red…. you've forgotten something…." He kinda faded out at the end because the remembrall in question had just turned red.

While Neville was trying to remember what he had forgotten, Malfoy came over with thugs 1 and 2 (read: Crabbe and Goyle) and swiped the marble-like object. Harry, Ron, and I all jumped up at once. They looked pissed (and believe me I was too), but it was my brilliant idea to yell, "OI! SWIPER NO SWIPING! SWIPER NOOOO SWIPING!" He just stood there looking confused while a bunch of muggleborns and Harry started chuckling or full out laughing. McGonagall, however, was not as amused.

"What is going on here and what was with all of the racket Miss Weasley?" she asked, her expression stern (shocker, right?).

"Malfoy's got my remembrall, Professor." Neville explained while I said, "Malfoy was being a buttmunch."

"I was just looking." mumbled Malfoy, stalking away with his shadows following.

Just then a really old owl nipped my hand. Huh. My first letter (not counting my Hogwarts letter).

"What's Errol doing here?" exclaimed Ron. At our confused looks, he elaborated, "That's the family owl."

I paled a little. Now don't give me that look, I've been meaning to contact my birth parents but what was I supposed to say, "Dear Mom and Dad I didn't know that were my real parents until recently, What's the haps? I'm Kayla and I'm the daughter that you lost 11 years ago. Just so you know. Hugs and kisses, Kayla Weasley?" Yeah—no. So I guess someone told them about me. Probably Percy. Anyway, that letter's not going to read itself. I opened it and read,

_Dearest Kayla,_

_ When we received the letter from Percy telling us that they had found you, we didn't dare hope to believe it. In fact, we owled Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore immediately afterwards. Now that we know it's true, we cannot wait to meet you in person. In fact, we will be meeting you at lunch on Halloween and then join you children for the feast later to discuss all of this. _

_ All our Love,_

_ Mum and Dad_

Silently I passed the letter for Hermione, Ron, and Harry to read and then asked quietly for a quill and some parchment to form my response to my parents.

~oOo~

By the time we were heading to flying lessons, I was back to my dorky, klutzy version of normal. Yeah, suppressing my reaction to the letter would probably bite me in the ass come Halloween, but I can't flip out right now or everyone would doubt my levels of sanity even more. Anyways, I was walking backward and talking and joking with Harry, Ron, and Hermione when I bumped into someone knocking them over.

"Oops, sorry dude!" I said before turning around to see that it was flipping MALFOY that I knocked over.

He just looked so ruffled and had grass sticking to his gelled hair that I just couldn't help it. I started laughing my ass off, with my fellow lions joining me when they saw Snobfoy with his natural green highlights. He was looking rather red at this point. (Very Christmassy, hehehe) However, trying to save face I s'pose, he got up and brushed himself off and turned toward me.

"Yes, Twat of Christmas' Past?" I said, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes.

He just snarled, because Madam Hooch had just arrived; that lady has the best timing. She instructed us to put our right hands over the brooms and yell, "UP!" Harry's jumped into his hand immediately, while Ron's and mine smacked us in the face simultaneously. Hermione's and Neville's just rolled around on the ground. Eventually, we all had our brooms and mounted them. We were supposed to take off when Hooch counted to three, but Neville jumped the gun and started on two. He didn't have any control over the broom and fell off from about twenty feet in the air and broke his wrist. Hooch told us to just stand here and wait while she took him to the Hospital Wing. That's when Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face? Oh look, it's that stupid thing he had at breakfast earlier… "He started to smirk evilly.

"Give that here." Harry said quietly, his eyes dancing with suppressed rage. Yikes, scary Harry! But I agreed with what he said, so I chimed in with an icy, "Now."

"Naw, I think I'll leave somewhere for him to find. How 'bout up a tree?" he cackled, while jumping up onto his broom and flying up about ten feet. Harry followed him up there, ignoring Hermione's "You'll get in trouble!" On an interesting side note, DANG Harry can FLY! He looked downright graceful up there. Ron and I cheered.

"Give that here, Malfoy, before I knock you off that broom!" Harry snarled. Malfoy looked like he didn't think Harry could.

"You do that, Potter! I'll keep looking for a nice elm to put this stupid thing in." He taunted. That was a mistake on his part, for sure. Harry shot towards him and when he dodged Harry whipped back around.

"There's no Crabbe and Goyle to save you up here!" Harry spat. Malfoy looked like he was about to piss himself.

"Catch it if you can then!" He shouted throwing Neville's remembrall as hard as he could before bolting to the ground. Wimp.

Harry, on the other hand, was diving masterfully toward the little glass ball at break-neck speed. Just before he would have hit the ground, he caught it, evened out, and then jumped off the broom.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Shite. McGonagall _would_ be the one to see this. Malfoy and co. were cackling triumphantly.

"Never in all my years—could have died….Potter, you are coming with me immediately!" McGonagall barked.

"But professor, Malfoy was being a twa-"

"I don't want to hear it, Miss Weasley!"

"But he-"

"Quiet, Mister Weasley!"

She then proceeded to drag Harry, who looked completely depressed and anxious, back to the castle. Malfoy burst into laughter again. Did he really get a kick out of watching professors drag away unfortunate students? Creeper.

"Guess Saint Potter will have to go back to the dirty, dumb Muggles!" he snorted.

"Oh, piss off! You're just jealous that you can't fly worth crap!" I snapped at him.

"Yeah, Malfoy. I knew you were full of it with all those hellycoopter stories!" chimed in Ron.

"Helicopter." corrected Hermione quietly.

"Oh be quiet Weaselbee!" he shot at Ron and then turned to me and said, "And I still haven't quite forgiven you for pushing me earlier, lovey! Perhaps a kiss will make me feel better-" SMACK.

I had had it up to the freaking Astronomy tower with this guy! So I slapped that man-ho right across his stupid face.

"Leave me the hell alone or you will find yourself unable to reproduce!" I hissed and then walked back to a stunned Hermione and Ron who was starting to grin.

Ron high-fived me and said, "I'm so glad to have you as a sister!"

~oOo~

So it turns out instead of getting a ton of detentions or something, Harry got on the quidditch team. Ron and I were just congratulating him over dinner when Malfoy and his shadows decided to come antagonize Harry.

"Having one last meal before being shipped to the Muggles eh, Potter?" he quipped. The thugs chuckled dully.

"You're a lot braver now that you've got your little friends back with you." Harry said in a cold voice.

"I'll face you anytime. How about a wizard's duel? Tonight at midnight in the trophy room. That is, if you know what a wizard's duel is?" He challenged.

"Of course he knows. I'm his second, who's yours?" Ron retorted.

"Crabbe. Don't be late." He sneered and then left.

Hermione, who had joined me during this, looked highly uncomfortable about this bout of rule-breaking. I, however, was planning on backing them up. There was no way that Malfoy would be straight-up and honorable about this. I had a feeling he was up to something. Well, I guess I'll find out tonight.


	13. Somebody Hand Me a Phone, Because I

**(A/N: Wow. Only one review. Ouch! I'm 5'10, klutzy, and poor; so no, I don't own Harry Potter (No matter how yummy he may be.). Please, for the love of all things bacon-y, review!)**

**Chapter 12: Somebody Hand Me a Phone, because I Freaking Called it!**

At eleven fifteen I slipped out of my bed into my converse and pulled on my sweater. As I was grabbing my wand, I heard a scoff. I turned to see a very disapproving Hermione.

"I can't believe you are going to help them break the rules and lose who knows how many points." She sniffed.

"Hermione, you and I both know they are going to do this no matter what. Now, I think Malfoy is up to something; therefore, I want to be there to help them when the other shoe of Malfoy's plan falls." I say as we walked down to the common room.

"All the more reason to stop this selfish venture of theirs." She said in a condescending tone I didn't much care for. My ears started to redden.

"Are you even listening? _They are going to go no matter what anyone tells them._ They are _boys_; they won't back down when they are challenged by a rival/nemesis! I would know, I grew up with one of them." I said in a tone that showed my diminishing patience with my friend.

"Gryffindor is more important than some silly rivalry." Hermione scoffed.

"Not to them, and as their friend not to me either. It shouldn't be to you as well. House points can be regained in an instant, and friends are more important." I say as calmly as I can manage, my face red as my hair. Hermione better be careful, my fuse is about to blow.

"Friends come and go, but grades and your record are forever. Clearly your priorities are out of order!" She said firmly, but angrily too. My eyes hardened at that, she had crossed a line.

"If you really mean that, then I don't think I'll be able to stand being your friend seeing as you don't find me as important as a few measly house points. I can't believe you; I thought you were better than this!" I growled out. As soon as I saw the hurt look on her face, I felt bad about what I said but I can't say that I didn't mean it.

Just as Hermione ran upstairs, the subjects of our argument came "sneaking" (honestly, they looked pretty ridiculous) down from the boy's dormitories.

"S'up?" I greeted them, trying to shake off the anger and hurt from the argument with Hermione. They both jumped, obviously not having spotted me before then. Stifling a snicker at their faces, I said, "Oh come on, did you really expect me not to go with ya'll? I trust Twat-foy as far as I can throw him and you guys are my friends, and Ron, you are my brother!"

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, shrugged and motion for me to join them. They knew they didn't have time to argue with me. I smirked at that thought as we creeped along; I noticed the Fat Lady wasn't in her frame…. that could be problematic. Just then we heard a sniffling noise a little bit ahead of us. It sounded like a ghost had a cold…. But ghosts don't get colds do they? It'd be heck to try and cure them. I mean their dead, and all. Oh, it's just Neville.

"How's your arm?" Harry asked. He is just so caring….Errrr, disregard that.

"Oh, it's fine; Madam Pomfrey healed it in about a second. I forgot the password though so I've been sleeping out here." He replied embarrassedly.

"Well, the password's 'pig snout,' but it won't help you much because the Fat Lady decided to take a midnight stroll." I said, rolling my eyes at the Fat Lady's antics.

"Anyway, we've got to be going…" Ron said trying to get us to go to the trophy room fast and ditch Neville. (so pushy, but you gotta love him)

"Don't leave me! The Bloody Baron's already been past here twice!" Neville exclaimed in a panic, poor fellow.

"Fine." said Ron. "But if you get us caught I won't rest until I learn the Curse of the Bogies that Quirrell was talking about and used it on you!"

At this point, Harry hushed us because we were supposed to have been acting sneaky so as not to be caught by Filch and his demon cat. Pretty soon all of us were twitchy and paranoid, and you can't blame us; it looks like a cheesy horror film in this place at night. I vaguely expected Dracula to jump out and claim that he "vanted to suck our blood, bleh!" Anyway we had finally made it to the trophy room and settled in to wait.

And wait.

And wait!

And wait some more!

Just when Ron was suggesting that maybe Malfoy had chickened out, we heard someone. It was Filch. Big. Freaking. Surprise. Man, Malfoy is such a little shit! Anyway, Harry motioned for us to run quietly away and we were doing pretty well until I almost fell into a suit of armor. I dodged it at the last moment and sprung back up breathing a sigh of relief. Right as Neville crashed into it. Well, hell.

"RUN!" Harry yelled.

We didn't stop running until we got to the Charms corridor which was super far from the trophy room. Just as I was about to fall to the floor and demand a piggy back ride to the tower who should find us but Peeves? This night just keeps getting better and better.

"Out of bed, ickle Firsties? Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty!" he cackled.

"Not if you don't tell someone, Peeves, please!" Harry pleaded.

"But it's for your own good you know, for me to tell someone." he said in an indignant tone that fooled no one.

Ron lost his patience at that point and swiped at Peeves telling him to "get out of it." Well as it turns out, Peeves _doesn't_ like people trying to hit him. Shocker.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED IN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" he yelled in his loudest voice. Thanks, Ron.

We ran to the door at the end of the corridor to hide, and just to go with Murphy's law, it was locked. Thankfully, while the others were panicking, I remembered the unlocking spell.

"Yo! Move over, I got this! _Alohomora!_" I said tapping the lock. We ran in and listened to Peeves and Filch argue.

Basically Peeves was just winding Filch up and had no plans of telling him where we were. On an interesting side note, Filch has quite the potty mouth so I had more cuss words to add to my collection. Huh, it smells like dog breath in here. Gross. And Neville's tugging on Harry's robe. At his insistence, we turned around. Why did we turn around?! I could have gone my whole life without the nightmares this is going to cause!

There was a ginormous three-headed dog in a bad mood in here. Its breath was quite potent so I looked down to avoid it burning my eyes. What was it standing on? I think that's a trap door. Man, this is some guard dog. It would make all the guard dogs in Texas piss themselves. This one actually looks like it wants to eat us, so we ever-so-smartly decided to run like hell. I think this was a good choice on our part, but that might just be me.

Once we got back into the common room, we sat in the armchairs to try and calm down a bit. Emphasis on tried.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that in a school? If any dog needs exercise, that one does!" Ron raged.

"While I agree with that statement, I would like to point out it was standing on a trap door. So it might be guarding something." I suggested.

"I was too preoccupied with the heads." Harry said.

Neville looked traumatized. On that note, I went to upstairs and plopped on my bed and fell asleep in an instant.

**(A/N: If anyone got the AVPM/S reference, it'll make my whole week! XD Again, please review!)**


	14. Drama that Should Have Been Saved for Yo

**(A/N: Soooooooo…sorry! I didn't mean not to update for a few months! To my credit, I had finals and then was exhausted from all the studying and packing and then the holidays happened AND I haven't felt that inspired…. Well, not for this part of the story. You see, I have all these ideas for MUCH later in the story. It's a bitch. I didn't and still don't wanna half-ass this and just do the whole, "Three years later after several adventures blahblahblah…" Anyhoo, I'm updating now and I hope ya'll will review…It really helps me come up with ideas. Alllsssooo, Queen Rowling owns the HP universe! Tschuss!)**

**Chapter 13: Drama that Should Have Been Saved for Your Llama**

The next morning, Hermione "forgot" to wake me up. (VERY mature) So I woke up when she rustled around to grab her shower things. Well, if she was going to be petty….two could play at that game. _Mwahahahaha….Kayla has an idea and is thinking in the third person…_

I grab my shower stuff and uniform and slipped into the shower stall next to Hermione and started singing at the top of my lungs,

_How many times are you gonna try to shut me out?_

_I told you once, told you twice, I ain't gonna turn back around_

_You can say whatever, try to mess with me_

_I don't care, I'm not scared_

_You don't have to say you're sorry, save your sympathy_

_With a friend like you, I don't need an enemy_

_I would give you time if you were worth it_

_But guess what, you're not worth it_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, I'm always gonna be the last one standing_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, 'cause I'm never gonna give up trying_

_And now I'm ready to go, I'm here, I'm waiting for you_

_And I'm gonna be the last one standing_

_The last one standing_

_Did you think that I would surrender easily?_

_Just like that, you were getting rid of me_

_Is that the way you saw it all go down?_

_I don't think, I don't think so_

_There's not a word you can say I haven't heard before_

_So give it up, give it up unless you want a little more_

_You think you're pretty tough, so let's throw down_

_It's alright, I'm alright_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, I'm always gonna be the last one standing_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, 'cause I'm never gonna give up trying_

_And now I'm ready to go, I'm here, I'm waiting for you_

_And I'm gonna be the last one standing_

_I won't give up, I keep trying_

_(I'm always gonna be the last one standing)_

_It's not over, I keep fighting_

_(I'm always gonna be the last one standing)_

_I won't give up, I keep trying_

_(I'm always gonna be the last one standing)_

_It's not over, I keep fighting_

_I keep fighting!_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, I'm always gonna be the last one standing_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, 'cause I'm never gonna give up trying_

_And now I'm ready to go, I'm here, I'm waiting for you_

_And I'm gonna be the last one standing [x2]_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, the last one standing [x2_]

**(A/N: "Last One Standing" by Simple Plan, if you were wondering…back to the story)**

Yes, I was being super dramatic. Yes, that song was a bit much for what happened. Do I care right now? The answer is one big can of nope! If she thought house points were more important than friends and that I should think so too, then she will be the target of a song attack courtesy of me!

Anyhoo, after my little performance in the shower, I got ready at the speed of light to go hang with my boys at breakfast and devour ALLL THE BACON. I skipped all the way there, because there's just some sort of thrill I get after singing whether it's for good or for evil.

By the time I reached the Gryffindor table, I had gotten many looks for being this perky in the morning especially from my yearmates. It was quite funny to me, but I can't blame them because I'm usually a zombie in the mornings. I sat down between my twin and Harry and pulled the bacon toward me, whistling cheerfully. They stared in tired disbelief.

"S'up, ya'll? That was some adventure last night, right?" I asked in my unnatural music-induced high.

"Erm…yes, yes it was." Harry said, wary of my admittedly creepy grin.

"…the bloody hell is up with you?" Ron asked with his normal tact.

"Music!" I trilled.

"What…music?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I gave our resident goody-good, snotty-snot a performance this morning! What a rush!" I exclaimed.

When they questioned that further, I explained about how I had an argument with Hermione about snitching on them and friendship. And how Hermione decided to be all petty and not even try to wake me up this morning. Leading to my shower concert of cattiness. The boys exchanged a glance, both decided it was a girl-thing that they didn't want to mix in, and we started discussing what we thought the three-headed labradoodle was guarding.

**~oOo~**

The next couple of months passed by with many fun occurrences. One was Harry getting his broom and then burning Malfoy with it. (I was so proud at that moment *sniffs*) Another was a memorable prank I pulled with the Elder Twins on the Slytherins involving pudding and pink bunny slippers. Classic. Classes were getting more interesting now, and soon we'd be making things fly.

The only damper was the fact that Hermione still hadn't come around. Now, before you get too confused, there's something you need to know about me: I can't hold a grudge to save my life, and my temper isn't long heated. You can't blame me for missing my only friend that's a girl. Don't get me wrong, my brother and Harry are great, but they're still boys and that means they're irritating as hell half the time. Like when they would cold-shoulder Hermione. I mean, she was a bit mixed up in her priorities but she seems to be loosening up. Even if it's at a snail's pace and damn near impossible to notice.

Annnnnyway, today is the day before my parents are coming to meet me. And I am freaking. The hell. Out! I am pale as a sheet and I can hardly eat anything. That's when you know something's wrong with me. Lack of being a human garbage-disposal. Harry and Ron were trying their hardest to make me feel better, but that just wasn't going to happen until I had met my parents and knew for sure that I'm not a disappointment to them or anything.

Tomorrow's going to be one hell of a day, that's for sure.

**(A/N: Thanks for reading! Even though I don't really deserve it with my derpy updating, I would still appreciate it if ya'll would review! Thanks!)**


	15. SoHow've You Been These Last, erm

**(A/N: Hola! Hallo! Howdy! So I've wanted to update all of the past few weeks, but it has been hard. This chapter is one of the ones that I have been building up to for a while. And I don't want to screw it up. I honestly have no idea what questions and reactions someone would have in this sort of reunion. This is based on what I think would happen, and if it isn't completely realistic….well, I apologize. With all of that, I would really appreciate reviews telling me how I did. And I still own nothing.)**

**Chapter 14: So….How've You Been...These Last, erm 11 Years? **

I honestly don't think I slept last night. I mean, I went to bed and it was warm and cozy and everything but my brain just would NOT shut up. And my heart was and is still racing like me to the bacon platter in the Great Hall. At some point I realized that sleep was a lost cause and just lay there, staring at the canopy of my bed trying to stop myself from hyperventilating until it was an acceptable time to be getting up. Acceptable just happened to be 5 a.m. to me this morning. _That's one symptom of a Kayla-style meltdown. _

I practically jumped out of bed and ran to the shower. I don't wanna look like a slob when I meet my parents! I mean, I _am_ a slob, but I don't want to look like it! My hair has to be neat and shiny or I'll never forgive myself! My tie has to lay just-so, or I'll never live it down. Are my converse double-knotted? _Obsessive preening, symptom number two of a Kayla-style meltdown. _

Sitting down on my bed, I tried again to calm myself. _Deep breaths, Kayla, deep breaths…._ Well, hell! All those TV shows were lying, because telling myself to breathe deeply wasn't doing jack-shit to calm me down. In fact, I think I'm pretty close to hyperventilating. Fabulous. As if I weren't nervous enough about meeting my FRACKINGBIRTH PARENTS, I now have to worry about if I am going to make myself pass-out and ending up in the Hospital Wing. That would be just bloody perfect! I would miss meeting them and they would think that I don't want anything to do with them! I need them to accept me! I could handle the flipping Smiths being A-class ignorant assholes because they _weren't my real family_! If my parents don't love me, it will break me into a million little pieces! _Holy hell, I can't breathe…_ _And the final and most evident symptom of a Kayla-style meltdown….a panic attack._

"Kayla?" A quiet, worried voice floated over to me. Glancing over, I saw that it was Hermione. To indulge my Texan roots: _Well, butter my rump and call me a biscuit! _Assessing my wheezing, pale state on my bed, she knelt down next to me.

"Kayla, I know I haven't been there for you these past few weeks and there really was no good excuse for that; but I'm here now. I need you to breathe deeply and slowly. Like this," she demonstrated inhaling and exhaling at a calm pace. I tried to emulate her. "Good. Now, I know that you are nervous about meeting your parents today. You would have to be insane, well -more insane than you already are, to not be. However, I am sure that your parents love you and will take care of you. Otherwise, they would not try and meet with you in the first place."

"B-but I'm no-ot the top of the cl-class! I'm not-t popular-!"

"Honestly, Kayla! There are more important things than grades!" Hermione's eyes sparked there at the irony of HER saying that. "As for popularity, why should that matter either? They won't care! They'll love you no matter what, because you are their child. End of story!"

My breathing was mostly evened out by then with just a stutter here or there. However there was still some doubt in my eyes.

"Kayla, if they don't accept you (which is nearly impossible) I'm sure you would be welcome at my house!" Hermione exclaimed. "Now, I am going to go get ready and then we are going to breakfast! No arguments!"

Well, _rawr_, Hermione! I guess I know why she's a lion now! I had wondered with all her nerdiness, why she wasn't in Ravenclaw…

I'm still so bloody nervous that I don't think I'll be able to eat much, but now I'm not in such a blind panic. Hermione came out and grabbed her bag, grabbed me, and set off for the Great Hall. My boys were already there, waiting for us. (Well only me, really, but they were getting Hermione too and they were gonna like it, damn it!)

"Well you look awful." Ron stated. Now, some girls would be reprimanding him for lack of tact, but as his sister I just responded as though it were nothing. (Which it really was.)

"I feel awful." I replied.

"Well, don't. Mum and Dad are going to love you. They have a ton of us boys, they'll be thrilled to meet their oldest daughter." Ron said in a comforting sort of way.

"I just don't want to mess this up." I said in a soft tone.

"We've got your back." Harry said with a kind and fierce sort of smile. Hermione nodded in affirmation.

Maybe I could make it through this.

**~oOo~**

Even though we were finally getting to the interesting stuff in our lessons, they were passing at a disturbing rate. I mean in Charms, we were making things FLY and I barely paid attention. I mean, Hermione and I were the only partnership that got it easily, but I didn't feel the sense of achievement that I normally do when I get something right. I'm just so damn nervous. It's like I just blinked and it was lunch time.

My steps grew heavier and heavier as I made my way to the Entrance Hall where my parents are going to wait for me. I don't think I can do this. I was about to turn around and just run until I couldn't anymore when Ron caught ahold of me.

"Where d'you think you're going?" He asked with a semi-angry, semi-sympathetic expression.

"I was thinking of how New York is supposedly very beautiful at this time of year…" I feebly try to joke.

Ron snorted, "Save it. Mum and Dad love us all and you running away will only hurt us all." Then he did something I wasn't expecting—he hugged me. He isn't the most emotionally aware person around, so that's a really big deal, okay? Yeah. Then he took my hand and dragged me to the Great Hall where there was a couple looking around anxiously. The man was tall, thin, balding, wearing glasses, a ginger (shocker, that), and really kind faced. Next to him was a short, plump, red-haired woman also with one of the kindest faces I've ever seen. When they spotted Ron and I, they both started smiling and waving. Also, it looked as if my dad was restraining my mom….. that's worrisome. When we got over to them, mom couldn't take it anymore; she ran and gave me a bone-crushing hug exclaiming while crying, "Oh, Kayla, dear! Oh, it's so good to finally see you! Dear, I'm ever so sorry that we couldn't find you! It's just Arthur's boss isn't the most understanding of fellows, and your siblings needed me, and I hadn't even gotten to name you so the point-me charm wouldn't work! Oh darling, could you ever forgive us?"

She had finally stopped to breathe and had loosened her grip so I could also breathe a little. Dad was watching with a huge smile and tears in his eyes. Ron was grinning, too. Blinking rapidly, trying not to cry myself, a grin forming while I returning the hug, "Well, ya'll are already being much better parents than the Smiths; I'll tell ya that! They would never have gone through such great lengths to meet me. Now, come over here dad; I need a hug from my father!"

Hugging both my parents was one of the best moments I've ever had. It just felt so great, with all the love I had never quite felt from the Smiths. Sure, they would hug me, but I never realized just how fake they were until I got this hug to end all hugs. When we were all hugged out (I had grabbed Ron to join in on it), we all were wiping tears from our eyes and grinning.

"Well, sweetheart, I'm sure you have some questions for us and we have some for you as well so why don't we find some place to go talk?" Dad asked. I grinned and nodded as we all linked arms and started walking. We eventually settled on sitting outside by the lake under the shade of a tree. Mom produced a basket filled with lunchtime goodies from her purse. My jaw dropped at that, because the basket was ginormous and her purse was tiny. She smiled a bit at my reaction and handed me a turkey sandwich. Once we all had our food, which was amazing, we decided to start.

"So, darling, where have you been all these years?" Mom asked.

"Up until March, I was in Austin, Texas in America." I said while chowing down on the food, because 1) I'm hungry and 2) my mom can COOK.

"Until March?" My dad asked with a confused and worried.

"When I told the Smiths that I wanted to go to Hogwarts, they took that to mean that they should kick me out. Flawed logic, if you ask me." I said in a would-be calm voice. Ron, who was beside me, snorted a little at the last sentence.

"HOW DARE THEY?! YOU ARE A CHILD! HOW WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO FEND FOR YOURSELF?!-" My mom was screaming. However my dad raise a hand to ask her to be quiet so he could say something, with a pretty durn angry expression himself.

"Molly, those people did a horrible thing. However, they aren't here and Kayla obviously did not die on the streets. Kayla, sweetheart, where were you after that?" He asked.

"Professor McGonagall brought me to the Leaky Cauldron where Tom let me stay in exchange for performing." I said with a wistful smile. I really am starting to miss performing there.

"What sort of performing, dear?" Mom asked, sounding sort of suspicious of this deal.

"Singing and playing the piano. I mostly sang stuff that was by muggle artists. It was quite popular." I answered.

"That sounds fascinating!" said my dad with a giddy expression that kind of worried me a bit.

Ron spotted this and whispered, "Dad's obsessed with all things muggle." _Huh, that's actually kind of neat, in a silly sort of way. Something's still bugging me though, about what mom said at first._

"Mom, what did you mean about dad's boss? And what does that have to do with ya'll not being able to look for me? Didn't he have vacation days he could take or something?" I asked kind of hesitantly, I mean, I don't want to push things.

"I think I might be able to explain that a bit better." Dad said. "You see, I work in the Department of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. I love it, but the fact is that not many of those in power find us important or worthy of respect. As a result, our funding isn't exactly abundant and there are only two of us employed in it. The workload is immense and the pay- just isn't. When we lost you, it wouldn't have been a problem for me to go searching for you but the lack of funding in my department made paid vacation an impossibility and if I requested it, I would probably have been fired. You know how large our family is, so I have to work quite a few hours to make ends meet. The pay also made hiring a babysitter so that your mum could look impossible as well, at least, a babysitter who could handle seven children.-" "No one can handle Fred and George" Ron muttered. "-So really, all we could do was wait until your Hogwarts letter was sent. We really didn't know if you were alive, to be perfectly honest; all we could do was hope. You see, on the list of prospective students it also shows who their parents are.** (A/N: Because plot convenience.)** It however, did not say where you were. That information only becomes available when the letters addressed by the Self-addressing Quill. Professor McGonagall sent us a letter saying that she wanted to confirm it was actually you before telling us where you were, so that we wouldn't be walking into a trap. There are still many dark wizards about who don't much care for the fact that I petition for Muggle Rights. I do wonder why she never got back to us, though."

"Thanks for the explanation, Dad, it cleared up a bunch of things. I think, in turn, I have an explanation as to why Professor McGonagall didn't tell you where I was or take me to you. In all truth, the day she found me, my entire life was pretty much scattered into the wind. I found out that I'm a witch, that the people I had been living with weren't my family, that they didn't actually care about me, and that I'd have to find a place to live. I was a wreck, and I think she realized that I wasn't ready to meet ya'll just yet. I needed that time to try and get over the Smiths and come to terms with the fact that my real family was out there." I explained quietly so as to hide the shaking in my voice. I don't think I succeeded too much though, because mom glomped me again and my dad patted my shoulder.

After that, we pretty much played twenty million questions until dinner. We had just settled in with my other brothers, Harry, and Hermione when Professor Twitchy-I mean- Quirrell burst in with his turban a not-so-hot mess.

"Troll- in the dungeons! Thought you ought to know." He shouted and then collapsed in a dead faint.

**(A/N: Yes, I know I left it at a cliffy….feel free to throw rotten fruit at me all you want. However, it took over a week of writing for me to get this chapter how I wanted it to be. My brain hurts. Could ya'll soothe it with some reviews, mayhaps? Thanks for reading!)**


	16. And She Set Fi-iiiiire, to the Snape!

**(A/N: Hola, my lovelies! Thanks to the two people who reviewed my last chapter, it means a lot to me. ^^ Anyhoo, it's finally time! Time for what, you may ask? Time to start seriously deviating from cannon! Yaaaaaaay! Just had to lay the foundations for the parts of the plot that still need to happen. Yep, yep! I still don't own the magnificent Harry Potter series, no matter how many eyelash wishes I make otherwise. Please review and tell me whatcha think! Ciao!)**

**Chapter 15: And She Set Fi-iiire, to the Snape!**

Of course, this proclamation created all sorts of chaos. It took several purple fireworks from the end of Dumbledore's wand (on a side note: why purple? Eh, whatev's it's Dumbledore.) to get the hall silent.

"Prefects, lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!" He rumbled.

"You lot go, we're going to help the Headmaster!" Dad said drawing his wand and rushing to join the teachers.

"We love you all, and it was lovely meeting you dear!" Mom said before racing to join dad and the others.

Percy was in his element and throwing 'I'm a prefect!'s around like they were shuriken. (Yes, I watched Naruto a lot before I knew of magic.) Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I just rolled our eyes and followed the prat. On the way up to the common room, we speculated about how a Troll got in; really, it seems unlikely it just wanted to partake in the Halloween Feast with us. At first we thought Peeves, but then we thought longer and realized that he only causes mild mayhem and this was anything but mild. So now we're stumped and eating food in the Common Room.

Eventually, we couldn't think of any more ideas so we went to bed. Man, my days just keep getting longer, don't they?

**~oOo~**

One day the week after the Troll Incident, our little group was hanging out in the snowy courtyard during break; warming up with some fire in a jar that Hermione made. Snape decided we looked entirely too happy, so he limped over to us and bitched out Harry for having a book outside the Library. Then he took the book and gimped away with a smirk. Butt trumpet.

"He made that rule up!" Harry kept growling. He and Snape do NOT get along.

This book was about quidditch and therefore really special to Harry. Hermione had lent it to him and it seemed to calm him down about the impending first game of the season. I must say the Slytherins, whom we would be facing, were not helping the 'nerves' situation with their constant taunts. How did everyone even find out that Harry was on the team anyway? The captain of our team had tried his damndest to keep Harry a secret. Personally, I think it's the portraits and ghosts. They seem like the type to gossip. I mean, what else do they have to do? Really.

Back to the point, when Harry was still pacing and grumbling about the book that evening Hermione suggested that Harry go ask for it back. After he left, I turned back to watching Hermione and Ron. They were playing Wizard's Chess and it was funny as hell. Not only did it amuse me that the pieces moved, but the fact that Ron was beating the pants off Hermione took the cake! I couldn't stop my snickering to save my life.

"Shut it, you." Hermione growled at me with mock-pissiness. Well, mostly mock.

Ron was grinning as he took down another one of Hermione's pieces.

Several minutes later, as Ron was plotting the demise of another of the poor chess set that was at Hermione's disposal; Harry walked in looking like he saw something that created a huge mental scar.

"Please tell me that you didn't see Filch naked!" I exclaimed in mock/sorta real horror to break that freaked out expression off of his face.

"Erlack! No! Why would you even think that?!" Harry exclaimed with the cutest expression of disgust that was mirrored on the other two's faces.

I shrugged, maintaining my 'innocent' expression, "Well, it was a possibility considering how pale you look!"

Harry blinked and shook his head, Ron snickered, and Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"So are you going to tell us what happened, or do you want more of my ideas?" I asked with a devious smirk.

Needless to say, Harry quickly launched into the story. Apparently, Filch was involved in the story. (Ha! I knew it!) He was helping Snape with the wound on his leg. Apparently, it was from a certain three-headed dog we all know and fear. I'm gonna call him Fluffy! Because it amuses me, that's why! Anyway, Harry decided that he didn't want Snape to spot him because then Snape might kill him. (Smart assumption on his part.) However, Harry being Harry, Snape looked up and saw Harry sneaking out of the staff room. He then adapted his signature glare of death and yelled, "POTTER!" So, Harry did the even smarter thing, and ran like hell all the way back here.

Well. This was food for thought. The boys jumped to the conclusion that Snape let the troll in so that he could sneak past Fluffy. Hermione didn't think he would do such a thing, being a teacher. I was conflicted. On the one hand, a troll happening to come into the school in such a way to distract the entire population of students and teachers seemed unlikely. On the other, Snape may be a butt trumpet of the highest degree…but this just doesn't seem his style. Also, another thing about that night struck me as odd; the fact that Quirrell of all people was the one to find the troll. Why wasn't he at the feast? I know that he doesn't like loud noises, they make him jump a mile, but one feast surely wouldn't kill him. I was dragged away from these thoughts as Harry spoke again about being nervous about his first quidditch match. Honestly, the boy has a one track mind.

"You'll be awesome, Harry! You were picked for a reason, y'know?" I encouraged.

"Exactly!" Ron agreed.

We three non-quidditch players kept at this until it was time for us to go to sleep. After all, we had a game to catch tomorrow.

**~oOo~**

Turns out that all our encouragement didn't help as much as we though, because Harry was pale as a sheet this morning and refused to touch his food. All of us firsties tried our best to get him to eat something, but to no avail. Seamus made the worst attempt by saying that Harry better eat something because seekers get beat up the worst and then dousing his sausages with blood-looking ketchup. I actually raised an eyebrow at that. _Nice._

When we left Harry at the locker room after wishing him luck, we went up to sit in the stands and pulled out our surprise for Harry. We had made a sign that said 'Potter for President', Dean had drawn a lion on it, I had drawn a Nimbus 2000 on it, and Hermione had charmed it to flash different colors. When the Gryffindors flew out, we cheered as loudly as possible. After that, I honestly tried to follow what was going on but… I'm just not that sporty of a person. Sure, I cheered whenever Gryffindor scored and flipped off the Slytherins when they scored or did something douchey but honestly that's just par for the course with sporting events as far as I've learned. At some point, Hagrid joined us (smushing several students along the way). At one point Harry got really close to catching the snitch and one of the big Slytherins decided that would be too fair. So he decided to fly in front of Harry and slam into him, sending the poor dude spinning. Needless to say, we Gryffindors were less than pleased. (read: about to tear the Slytherins to shreads with our bare paws) Then, Harry's broom decided to do the funky chicken. Seeing as how he was at least 50 feet in the air, it wasn't nearly as hilarious as it sounds. My knee-jerk reaction was to yell, "OI! FRED! GEORGE! IF YOU DON'T CATCH HIM, I'M GOING TO HEX YA'LL INTO NEXT WEEK!" Their reply was, "What d'you think we're trying to do?! Barmy sister…" Ron was swearing, as was Hagrid, but Hermione was doing something rather odd; she had jacked Hagrid's binoculars and was scanning the crowd. And guess what she spied with her little eye? Snape staring somewhat creepily at Harry and muttering under his breath, obviously doing a spell of some sort. After pointing this out, she plowed several people over (including Professor Twitchy) to get to Snape. When she got back, Harry had regained control of his broom. However, he did end up falling off really close to the ground as he looked rather sick. Instead of the vomit we expected, a snitch came out of Harry's mouth. Huh, we won.

Pretty much as soon as we could fight our way through the rabid fans, Hagrid, Hermione, Ron, and I gathered up Harry and took him back to Hagrid's place. He needed his British comfort drink, a strong cup of tea. Hermione had jumped on the 'Snape is trying to kill Harry' bandwagon. When she voiced this, Hagrid let slip that Fluffy was indeed Fluffy's name and that this all had something to do with Nicolas Flamel in his attempt to defend Snape. Honestly, I don't think Snape is trying to kill Harry. It's too obvious for my liking. I have a feeling is much too sneaky to get caught doing something to kill someone. Don't get me wrong, I loathe the git…..I just have a gut feeling that it isn't him.

**~oOo~**

Before going to bed that night, I asked Hermione a question that had been bothering me all day, "What exactly did you do to Snape?"

She mumbled something, blushing like crazy.

"Say again?"

"I set his robes on fire, alright?"

I started laughing hysterically and couldn't stop for a while. Finally, after taking some calming breaths I informed her, "Hermione Granger, you are now officially my favorite!"

**(A/N: So, to apologize for sluggish updating and the mental image of Filch, I have an offer for ya'll: Recently, I made a list of songs that I'm going to use during the rest of the entire story and instead of being tight-fisted with it, I'm gonna let ya'll pm or whatever me to ask for the name of a song for a year of your choosing. Keep in mind, I chose these songs because either the lyrics or title fit, or the thought of them in the story made me cackle. So have fun, and review! Thanks for reading!)**


	17. Chocolate Addictions DO Come in Handy!

**(A/N: Don't shoot! I had some legit RL drama and stress that actually affected my health. So pardon my lack of updates. Anyhoo, I want to thank those who added this story to their favorites, reviewed, or are following this fic. It really means a lot to me. I never imagined that I would even get more than 1 follow, and that that would be my roommate/bestest buddy ever. So, thanks, review, I don't own HP…now on with the story! Bis spater!)**

**Chapter 16: Chocolate Addictions DO Come in Handy!**

So, fun fact about Scotland: It's a hell of a lot more cold in the winter than Texas. I found this out as the temperature took a nose-dive as the month passed into December. Despite freezing nearly to death, I'm happy. Why? Christmas is coming up, of course! The castle is just beautiful with its fancy magical decorations the teachers have been working on all week. Though, the magical icicles do make me shiver just from looking at them…. I seriously have issues with the cold as I've mentioned. As for why I keep mentioning it, the gang and I are currently in the freezing-ass dungeons with the snakes and our least favorite butt trumpet. (Read: the Slytherins and Snape)

"I do feel so sorry for those who will be stuck here because they're not wanted at home." Malfoy drawled maliciously at Harry. He's been more of an arse (I didn't know that was possible) to Harry since we crushed the snakes in Quidditch.

I turned toward Hermione and asked quietly, "Any chance of you lighting him on fire too?"

Hermione just smirked and shook her head. Party pooper. It is true that Harry, my brothers, and I are going to be staying here for the break. Our parents are going to Romania to visit Charlie and tell him about me as well. (They wanted to tell him in person.) Harry just signed the list so fast that the parchment almost caught on fire. That was as troubling as his stories about his family from the train. I still need to talk to him about that. Eh, I'll do it during break_. Yay! The bell just rang! Time to get out of- What's that tree doing here? Are those feet under it? What—oh, it's just Hagrid._

"Hello, Hagrid! Do you want some help?" Ron asked kindly.

"I've got it thanks!" Hagrid replied.

"Trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Tell me; is it true that your family all sleeps in one room?" Malfoy taunted.

Now, as much as I would like to see Malfoy's face bashed in; this whole thing reeked of set-up. So I grabbed his arm and hissed, "Oi! Revenge is a dish best served cold, we'll get him later!"

Not two seconds later, Snape prowled up and demanded, "What the Devil is going on here?" **(A/N: Oh, come on! I had to! XD)**

"Nothin'!" Hagrid said, trying to keep Snape from being overly Snape-like.

Snape glowered for a moment and then said, "Very well." Then he flew away like the dungeon bat he is.

Malfoy and co walked away grumbling about not getting us in trouble.

"Why don' yeh lot come with me ter the Great Hall, look's a treat." Hagrid suggested, perhaps to keep the boys from following the snakes and bashing their feeble brains in.

So we walked on to the Great Hall and it was….just…_stunning._ The humongous trees were being magically decorated by Flitwick and McGonagall. It was quite impressive to watch gold bubbles stream out of Flitwick's wand and attach themselves to the tree he was working on.

"Erm, not that this isn't lovely and all…but shouldn't we be in the library?" Hermione asked us pointedly.

"That's right." Harry said, looking away from the trees as Ron and I nodded. Hagrid looked at us funny.

"The las' day o' term? Bit keen aren' yeh?" Hagrid asked us suspiciously. (He knows us too well. XD)

"Well, ever since you've mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to figure out who he is." Harry said with a completely not-believable innocent expression.

"Now hold on a tick-"

"See ya later, Hagrid!" I said waving cheerily as we sprinted off to the library.

**~oOo~**

"We've been in here foreverrrrrrrrrrr!" I whined slamming my head on the bazillionth book I'd looked through. Hermione tutted and the boys nodded. My stomach growled. Suddenly I sat up.

"I just realized something very important." I said very solemnly.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"It's….it's…." I murmured.

"Yes?" Hermione prompted.

"It's-" I started murmuring again.

"Out with it then!" Ron huffed, losing patience.

"CHOCOLATE TIME!" I exclaimed with a wild grin on my face. Harry face-desked.

Ignoring their irritated expressions, I dug out a chocolate frog with a happy expression on my face. While I was violently consuming the frog, I looked at the front of the card: Dumbledore. Then I looked at the back, and promptly began choking. Ron thumped me on the back, which surprisingly helped a lot.

"Guys, read the back of this card and tell me that I'm not completely insane-only mostly insane. Nonetheless, give this a look-see." I said at top speed.

"What the bleeding he-holy shit!" Ron said as they read the card and got to the part about Nicolas Flamel.

That sneaky bastard! He wasn't in some smancy book, he was on a flipping _chocolate frog card._ Just then, Hermione gasped.

"We need to get back to the tower, I have a book that has the answer as to what Fluffy's guarding." She said in one breath as she grabbed her bag before running out of the library. We all glanced at each other, shrugged, and then followed.

When we got back to the common room, Hermione ran (beats me how she still had the energy to do that) up to our dorm. A couple moments later she walked over to the couch on which I had collapse and made me scooch enough so that she could sit down.

"Nicola Flamel," she said ", is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

**(A/N: And that's where I'll leave it for now. Yes, I'm evil blah blah blah….. Anyway, I plan on updating much sooner this next time because finals are done next week! See ya'll then, please review!)**


	18. Anime Knowledge…Semi-Truthful?

**(A/N: With all of the Tornado Warnings, lack of internet, and whatnot, what else is there to do but work on this lovely fic? Nothing, I tell you! This fic is as of now of age! That's right, 17 chapters! Time sure does fly. Anyhooties, thanks for the reviews and such…keep 'em coming! I don't own Harry Potter or FMA sadly. Enjoy the chapter!)**

**Chapter 17: Anime Knowledge…Semi-Truthful?**

The boys both went, "The what?" at the same time I exclaimed, "And people scoffed at my watching _Full Metal Alchemist_!"

Hermione looked torn between looking exasperated at the boys' lack of knowledge and amused at my nerdiness. "How accurate would that even be, Kayla?"

"Well in the manga they explained the stone as something that can transmute metals into gold and ensure eternal life…. Isn't that basically true?" I responded.

"Pretty much, to specify on the whole 'eternal life' part though: The stone produces the Elixir of Life which must drunk consistently to keep life going in the people partaking in it." She said in a textbook-y way.

"A stone that makes you immortal and rich, no wonder Snape wants it! Anyone would!" Harry exclaimed, Ron nodding enthusiastically at his side.

"Now before you two get carried away, I have to say something." I said, knowing they probably wouldn't like what I want to say.

"Go on." Ron encouraged.

"I-don't-think-Snape-is-the-one-that's-after-the-s tone!" I blurted out really quickly.

"Er, could you repeat that more slowly?" Harry asked.

"I don't think that Snape's after the stone!" I said firm in my conviction.

The others looked at me incredulously. They don't believe me. I'll just have to convince them then! I gathered the thoughts I've been having since the Quidditch match.

"Here's how I see it: Snape is just too obvious of a suspect. Now don't give me those looks; I have more reasoning behind that statement just hold on. Okay for starters, he walks around glaring at people and swooping around like an over-grown bat. If he were after the stone, wouldn't he try and make himself look less suspicious? He's under the damn near omniscient eye of the Dumbles, so wouldn't he want to NOT seem like a threat? I mean, that's how I pull off half my pranks; just put on an innocent face and act angelic. It's also why Gred and Forge ask me to do the more public parts of the pranks. Anyway, there's also the dubiousness of the whole 'troll in the dungeons' incident; what was Professor Twitchy doing in the dungeons in the first place? That is, if the troll was ever there. Wasn't it found on the third floor or something? It seems like a pretty good distraction for someone to go after the stone. Now, I know Snape went into the Forbidden Dog-house of Doom, but mightn't he have been checking to make sure that everything was hunky-dory? Thinking back to what Harry heard Snape say, Snape never said he was trying to get past the dog just that he wasn't able to keep track of the dog's heads. Lastly, while Snape might be a complete arse, he doesn't give off the vibe of being an evil arse."

"How do you explain him cursing the flip out of my broom, then?" Harry asked, still not believing me. The other two nodded with him.

"Maybe he could have been having an off day and thought that making your broom do a jig would be a great laugh? I dunno about that part, but I still don't think he's after the stone." I replied determinedly.

"Kayla, your argument is mostly based on speculation so I'd have to say that I still think Snape is the most likely suspect." Hermione put in.

"Honestly, I think you're putting too much thought into it. Snape's a slimy git, and that's all there is to it." Ron said with an air of finality. Harry nodded slightly apologetically in agreement with Ron.

"So ya'll are just going to ignore what I said and refuse to think that someone else might be after the stone? You're not going to even keep an open mind? You're going to just stomp on my opinion in your want of someone specific to blame? Fine! I'll just leave ya'll alone 'till you come to your senses! I don't have to have my thoughts disregarded like they were in Texas." I snapped, forcing myself to hold back the tears building in my eyes. Having said what I wanted to say, I spun around and ran out the portrait hole to find a private place to sob until I couldn't sob no more. (Grammatical error, intentional.)

Most of the classrooms I came across seemed to have a bunch of couples making out in them. Bleh. Just as I was about to lose it in the middle of a hallway, an idea struck me. The Astronomy Tower. It would be empty, since all of its classes were held at night. Just as I was settling into a good crying jag, I heard a voice behind me.

"Mind if I join you? This really is the only good place for a sob fest in this school."

**(A/N: I'm truly sorry about the wait on this chapter and how short it is. When I started typing this was when my area was having issues with Tornado Warnings forcing me to grab my demon-imean- cat and cower in a closet. Also, I was sick for a week and a half. On top of that, my parents have decided to make me their personal dish slave. The reason for the shortness is the fact that I haven't come up with the name of my next OC. It's going to be a guy but his house and name just won't come to me. So I'm open to ideas from ya'll. I hope the amount of actual content and lack of filler-ness somewhat make up for the shortness. Anyhooties, thanks for reading and please review!)**


	19. The Emo Tower

**(A/N: Hello peeps! Thanks for the review, favs, and follows, they do this author's heart a world of good. I actually would have updated sooner than this, but I've actually started an Ouran High School Host Club fic. That, and I've been doing my House Elf duties, I mean, CHORES. Yes, chores are what I meant. Anyway, HP goes to Rowling, Kayla goes to me, and Toontown goes to the toons!)**

**Chapter 18: The Emo Tower**

I turned around to see a boy about my age in Slytherin robes with dirty blonde hair and cinnamon brown eyes. Hastily, I wiped the tears off my face. I really don't like people to see me looking so weak, and this was a Slytherin so I am even more wary of showing weakness. I don't think all Slytherins are evil, that's like saying all gingers are soulless. It's just better to err on the side of caution.

"Um, what?" was my witty response to this random guy's proclamation. "And also, who are you? I think those are good questions to start with."

"My name is Darren Ericson. As to what, I originally came up here to cry. It's not like I can show weakness in the snake pit." Eric said trying to keep his bravado up and grin, but it really just looked like a grimace. Uh, oh… my weakness. Sad people. I can't stand see people sad, and just have to cheer them up or help them.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's wrong?" I asked moving closer to where he had plopped down.

He looked at me suspiciously and asked, "You're not just going to spread it around to your Pride[1] are you?"

"Naw, I just wanna know if there's some way I could help you." I responded honestly. He searched my face for a hint of deception that just wasn't there and then he finally spoke again.

"I'm the only muggleborn in Slytherin. I didn't know anything about the prejudice most of the snakes cling to against people like me, or that the rest of the houses hate Slytherins. So pretty much I'm all alone. There's also the fact that I'm losing my peace of mind because my dormmates are constantly sabotaging my trunk and destroying my stuff. My parents are scared of owls and my older sister is off at university and can't be seen with owls coming and going from her dorm." He finished in a flat tone.

"That's awful, dude. I personally, could not give a shit that you're in Slytherin. You seem to be pretty nice, considering that you didn't making fun of me on sight like most of your housemates would have. In fact, if you want, I could be your friend. Then you wouldn't be quite as alone." I offered my hand to Darren at the end of my proclamation. He looked at it doubtfully.

"Won't your friends disapprove you having a Slytherin for a friend?" He queried.

"I'm having a bit of disagreement with them at the moment about their open-mindedness, but I'm sure once they get to know you they'll get over it." I replied. Finally he shook my hand with the beginnings of a grin. I was grinning wildly now. This made Darren look more than a little wary.

"I think this occasion requires a song!" I proclaimed with my grin still in place.

"I left my guitar at the dorm….drats!" Darren said, though he didn't look too regretful. I, however, was almost vibrating with excitement now.

"That's awesome! You have a guitar?! I sing and play piano! We should start a band! We totally should! Whaddaya think?" I bounced around him. He watched me bounce around him for a moment and then said, "Sure, just no sickeningly bubbly music….or rap."

"Wasn't planning on it! Mostly different varieties of rock are my thing!" I had stopped hopping around and was slightly dizzy. "Also, I only sing songs that I can identify with or carry a message that I want to get across. That sound okay?"

"Sounds brilliant." He replied with his arms out to catch me if I fell.

"On to the celebratory song, I vote 'Raise Your Glass' by P!nk!" I said, trying to re-gain my bearings.

"Hell yes!" Darren said, now with a full grin on his face. Then we started singing.

_[Verse 1]_

_Right, right, turn off the lights  
>We're gonna lose our minds tonight<br>What's the deal, yo?  
>I love when it's all too much<br>5 a.m. turn the radio up  
>Where's the rock 'n roll?<em>

_Party crasher, penny snatcher  
>Call me up if you're a gangsta<br>Don't be fancy, just get dancy  
>Why so serious?<em>

___[Chorus]__  
>So raise your glass if you are wrong<br>In all the right ways, all my underdogs  
>We will never be, never be anything but loud<br>And nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaks  
>Won't you come on and come on and<br>Raise your glass!  
>Just come on and come on and<br>Raise your glass!_

_[Verse 2]__  
>Slam, slam, oh hot damn<br>What part of a party don't you understand?  
>Wish you'd just freak out<br>(Freak out already)  
>Can't stop, coming in hot<br>I should be locked up right on the spot  
>It's so on right now<br>(It's so fucking on right now)_

_Party crasher, penny snatcher  
>Call me up if you're a gangsta<br>Don't be fancy, just get dancy  
>Why so serious?<em>

_[Chorus]__  
>So raise your glass if you are wrong<br>In all the right ways, all my underdogs  
>We will never be, never be anything but loud<br>And nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaks  
>Won't you come on and come on and<br>Raise your glass!  
>Just come on and come on and<br>Raise your glass!  
>Won't you come on and come on and<br>Raise your glass!  
>Just come on and come on and<br>Raise your glass!_

_[Bridge]__  
>Oh shit! My glass is empty<br>That sucks!_

_So if you're too school for cool  
>(I mean)<br>And you're treated like a fool  
>(You're treated like a fool)<br>You can choose to let it go  
>We can always, we can always party on our own<em>

_[Chorus]__  
>So raise your (oh, fuck)<br>So raise your glass if you are wrong  
>In all the right ways, all my underdogs<br>We will never be, never be anything but loud  
>And nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaks<em>

_So raise your glass if you are wrong  
>In all the right ways, all my underdogs<br>We will never be, never be anything but loud  
>And nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaks<br>Won't you come on and come on and  
>Raise your glass!<br>Just come on and come on and  
>Raise your glass!<br>Won't you come on and come on and  
>Raise your glass for me!<br>Just come on and come on and  
>Raise your glass for me! <em>

After that, while gasping for breath, we turned to each other and nodded. This was the start of a beautiful friendship and the beginnings of a hopefully awesome band. Which we'll need to name. And find more people for. Eh, we'll worry about that later. Crap! I just remembered something. Darren doesn't know my name yet….I can fix that!

"My name's Kayla Weasley, by the way!"

Darren facepalmed. Oh yes, this is the start of a beautiful friendship indeed.

**[1: A Pride is what you call a group of lions. I think.]**

**(A/N: So now I need a band name. Also, sorry about the obscenely long wait. My cousin got married, then I had guests, and then I went to the Warped Tour and got heat exhaustion. Blah. I don't own the song either, P!nk and her recording company do. Anyhooties, ya'll's opinions are wanted!)**


	20. Sometimes I Want to Punch Logic in the

**(A/N: Hello peoples! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I just was having issues typing the chapter for my other fic. Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! They are what keep me motivated. I siriusly don't own Harry Potter, please review! Also, enjoy!)**

**Chapter 19: Sometimes I Want to Punch Logic in the Face**

"So why were you up here in the first place? Not that I'm complaining about meeting you or anything, but you seemed really upset." Darren was looking at me with concerned eyes.

_Since he had shared his story with me, I might as well tell him. _"My friends think that Snape is plotting something evil and wouldn't believe me when I told them all of the reasons why it is unlikely that Snape is an evil prick. Just an average prick."

"….and?" Darren asked bemusedly.

"That's it." I replied. _Wasn't that enough?_

"Don't you think you are overreacting a bit? I mean, they didn't storm off when you said that you didn't believe _them_, did they?" Darren was now wearing a patient expression.

I scowled. Okay, maybe it was a pout. I really want to stay mad at Ron, Harry, and Hermione but Darren is making too much sense. Stupid logic!

Time to utter the two hardest words for a girl to say to a guy. "You're right."

"So what are you going to do about this?" he asked.

"Go talk to them, I guess. Some groveling may be involved. Wanna come with?" I really want to keep hanging out with Darren. And I want him to be friends my twin and other friends.

"Am I even allowed in your common room?" Darren asked incredulously.

"You're not allowed to know our password, but it doesn't say anything in the rules about people from other houses actually not being allowed in. Besides, it'll be an adventure." I said with an impish grin.

He still looked uncertain so I tried different tactic.

"We still need to discuss our plans for our band AND it is flipping cold up here!" I pouted while turning on the puppy dog eyes. I could see his resolve crumble in mere seconds. _Boo-yah!_

"Those eyes are lethal." Darren grumbled as he gestured for me to lead on.

**~oOo~**

When we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she promptly glared at Darren. "Why are you bringing a snake here?"

"He's my friend; I'm not going to let him know the password, no need to get your petticoat in a twist!" I replied with a firm expression and Darren seemed to be fighting laughter. After that, I whispered the password in her painted ear and with a huff, she let us in.

Ignoring the indignant look of some of my other lions, I lead Darren straight over to where I had left my twin and friends. They looked up when we approached.

"Why did you let a slimy snake into our common room?" Ron asked looking grossed out.

"He's the one who knocked some sense into me and also happens to be awesome. His name is Darren Ericson." I replied with a stubborn expression. I then gather my humility and continued. "He made me realize that I was overreacting about the whole Snape thing. I'm not saying that I'm on ya'll's side on the matter, more that it shouldn't be something that I sacrifice my relationship with you all for."

Hermione was the first one to speak. "I'm glad I'm not going to be the only one to be keeping Kayla grounded anymore. Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you." With that she offered her hand to Darren, which he shook with a grin.

"Harry Potter." Harry offered his hand as well, after some deliberation. Darren shook his hand too, and looked like he was glowing at the prospect of being accepted by so many people. Ron was looking kind of grumpy as we all looked at him.

"If my twin trusts you, I suppose I should as well. I'm watching you, though. Ron Weasley." He grudgingly held out his hand, and Darren shook it.

"So, what brings you to our common room….besides Kayla?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Kayla and I were thinking of starting a band and she wanted us to come back here for more planning." Darren replied, taking a seat next to me on the floor. The other armchairs were all taken up in our area. Plus the floor can be more fun.

"Erm….why do you want to start a band?" Harry asked curiously.

"Because: One, we both love music. B, it will be fun. Lastly,….why the heck not?" Kayla responded with an insane smile on her face. Darren was rolling his eyes, Ron was snickering, Harry was smiling, and Hermione was twitching slightly at the purposefully poor grammar. Kayla turned to Darren and with a more serious expression said, "I do think we need one more member; it would look kinda awkward with just the two of us."

"I agree, plus it will widen the variety of songs we could do." Darren replied.

"What do you think about our last member being a drummer? I feel like we need a drummer." Kayla mused.

"Yeah, that sounds good. Where are we going to find a drummer? And drums?" Darren inquired, furrowing his eyebrows.

"We could post flyers about us having auditions on the House notice boards. Maybe ask an older student to conjure a set of drums for us. And a piano. You could bring your guitar. That way we can see how we all play together." Her ideas were forming with increasing speed.

"When and where do you think we should have auditions? I think we'll need a teacher's permission. Maybe we could ask to borrow one of their classrooms." Darren appeared to be thinking aloud too.

"Once we have permission, we should set the time to be a week after we put up the flyers. To give people a chance to think about it." Kayla stated.

As Kayla and Darren continued their planning, they were oblivious to the others.

"Y'know, I think they've forgotten we're here!" Harry said sounding both amused and slightly irritated.

"Looks like it, mate. Chess?" Ron asked, pulling out the board and pieces.

"You're on." Harry replied.

Hermione pulled out a book and sat there reading with the ominous feeling that this would be a common occurrence in years to come.

**(A/N: Sweet Merlin, I'm sorry about the wait! Soon, we should be back to the serious stuff. At this point I'm still laying the foundation for events to come. This story is going to be incredibly long. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think of the chapter!)**


	21. AN

**Hello my awesome-tastic readers, I have some sad news for ya'll! My laptop broke hardcore when I tried to load an antivirus program on it (irony at it's finest, right?). That means I lost whatever progress I had on the new chapter for this fic. THIS DOESN'T MEAN I'M ABANDONING THIS STORY, IT JUST MEANS IT WILL TAKE A BIT MORE TIME FOR ME TO POST BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE ME A WHILE TO RE-WRITE EVERYTHING! **

**Thanks for understanding,**

**K**


	22. Curious Christmas Conversations Pt1

**(A/N: So I have a lot of explaining to do. I had a pretty horrible case of bronchitis that laid me up for a couple of weeks, then my laptop broke epically, then it took over a month for me to have the means to get to a Best Buy to fix it, then Toshiba was a bitch about getting a disc to the Geek Squad, and after all of that I got a major case of writer's block for this story. This isn't the full chapter I wanted to post; but I owe ya'll something for sticking with me through my monumental case of shite luck. I don't own Harry Potter. Enjoy!)**

**Chapter 20: Curious Christmas Conversations Part 1**

Darren and I decided not to enact our plans until after the break, seeing as the aforementioned break was starting the next day. Also, he was going home and need to pack. Speaking of Christmas plans, the Hogwarts contingency of us Weasleys are going to be staying at the castle, Harry had practically ripped the sign-up sheet out of McGonagall's hand (I'm definitely talking to him about his home situation at some point during the break), and Hermione was heading home. Suddenly, my stomach dropped. _Crap, I'm stuck with all boys!...Maybe now would be a good time to write Ginny._

**~oOo~**

**Dear Ginny,**

** So, um, hi! I'm your long-lost older sister! Surprise!...Now that I've gotten that awkwardness out of the way, I'd like to explain why I'm writing you now of all times.**

** If my guess is correct, you're now in Romania and you've been told of my existence. (If not, the cat's out of the bag now.) I'm writing because I want to get to know you. I've always wanted a sister! So now I'm going to ask you a bunch of obnoxious getting-to-know-you questions.**

** What's your favorite color? When's your birthday? What's your favorite food? What's your favorite thing to do in your spare time? How did you survive all of our brothers' irritating boy-ness? Most importantly, what's your favorite genre of music?**

** In exchange for that entire paragraph of questions, I'll tell you a little about myself. My favorite colors are blue and purple. Since I'm Ron's twin, you already know my birthday. My favorite foods are bacon and chocolate. I like to sing, read, watch anime (Japanese Muggle comic books converted to a combination of a radio program and our moving pictures…that's the best way I can describe it honestly), and play piano. I grew up in America, Texas to be specific. My favorite genre of music is rock. **

** Anyway, it's been nice writing to you. (Please make sure to be super nice to the owl, she's my friend Harry's.)**

** Love,**

** Kayla**

**~oOo~**

Once I had folded the letter and addressed it, I ambled over to Ron and Harry who were playing chess.

"Hey, Harry! Could I borrow Hedwig?" I asked.

After his bishop got smushed, he looked up and said, "Sure."

Slowly, I reached my hand up as I thanked him. Quickly, I ruffled his hair and then ran off cackling madly all the way to the Owlrey.

"Hedwig! Harry said I could send a letter with you!" I called up to the beautiful snowy owl.

She opened her golden eyes and inspected me thoroughly before fluttering down to me with a soft hoot.

As I fastened the letter to her leg, I told her, "This letter is to my little sister, Ginny Weasley. She is either in Romania or on her way there. Don't give me that look! I promise I'll give you a slice of bacon when you get back!"

As soon as I had made sure that the letter was fastened properly, the sassy owl flew off making sure to claw my arm slightly.

**~oOo~**

I have been sitting in front of my window in the dorm bouncing for hours, just waiting for the sun to come up. The reason for this highly out of character behavior? IT'S CHRISTMAS! I have been waiting for it to be a decent time to wake the boys. My presents were delivered to the end of my bed during the short span of time I actually managed to sleep. _Oooh, lookit! The sun's coming up! I can wake the boys now and we can open our presents together!_

I merrily skipped down the girl's stairs and up the boy's until I spotted the door labelled 'First Years.'

I slammed the door open and sang at the top of my voice,

"_Feliz Navidad_

_Feliz Navidad_

_Feliz Navidad_

_Prosper año y felicidad_

_Feliz Navidad_

_Feliz Navidad-" _**(A/N: I don't own this song)**

At that point I was cut off very rudely by a pillow to the face from my grumpy twin. Harry just looked bemused and sleepy. _Awww._

"Merry Christmas to you too, dearest twin. Here I was, innocently waking up my twin and friend with a nice Christmas song so that we could all gather our Christmas presents and open them together in the Common Room, and you just HAD to throw a pill at me like the Grinch!" I really put on the fake-hurt expression and even worked up some tears.

It was a testament to the frequency of my dramatics that all they did was gather their presents (Harry with a thoroughly shocked expression, like it was unusual for him to get presents), shake their heads, and asked a question a piece. ("What's the Grinch?" "Are you even allowed in our dorm?") I responded to those cheerfully. ("A Christmas-hating fiend." "Yes, but boys aren't allowed in mine; so wait whilst I gather my presents.")

When I returned, the frenzy began.

**(A/N: The next chapter will continue on Christmas and it will be decidedly less fluffy. That's all I'm gonna say about that. Please let me know what you think! Tschuss!)**


	23. Curious Christmas Conversations Pt 2

**(A/N: Hiloooo people! I'm incredibly sorry about how long it's been since I last updated, but I got diagnosed with Anxiety and that kinda took the contents of my brain and put them in a food processor. It made my writer's block more like 'writer's impenetrable force-field.' Anyway, I'm back now. I own nothing. Enjoy!)**

**Chapter 21: Curious Christmas Conversations Part 2**

It was raining wrapping paper in the common room. Well, from Ron and I's areas. Harry was reverently opening each present with awe on his face.

This year I got: sugar quills and a friendship bracelet from Hermione, sheet music from Darren, chocolate frogs from Harry, dungbombs from the elder twins, a homework planner from Percy, and a large package with a letter on top that appeared to be from Mom, Dad, Bill, Charlie, and Ginny. I opened the letter first.

**~oOo~**

**Dear Kayla,**

** Hello to you, too! It's funny, but this owl got here not two minutes after Mum and Dad told the three of us about you! Yes, I said three. Bill showed up to surprise us. Which is great, because he's the coolest of our prats. Oh, excuse me, brothers. Did you know that out of all of them, you're the only one who's written to me? Like I wrote, prats- the lot of them! **_**We're not that bad, little sis!**_

There were a bit of ink splatters before the letter continued.

**Sorry about that, Charlie was reading over my shoulder and decided to nick my quill. Be warned, he might do it again and I don't much care for the look in Bill's eyes either. **

**Anyway, I agree that it will be nice to have a sister. The only reason I haven't gone completely mental is having my friend Luna's house to escape to. She's a bit….different, but she's really nice and great company. Maybe during the summer, I can take you to meet her!**

**On to your questions. My favorite colour is light blue. My birthday is August 11****th****. I'm particularly fond of licorice wands. In my spare time I like to sneak out our brothers' brooms and practice flying, I can't wait to knock them on their arses when I get on the team at Hogwarts! Other than that, most of the time I'm playing with Luna or doing chores. I honestly don't know how I survived being around all these idiots…maybe I am mental. **_**We already knew that.**_

More ink splotches.

**Prat! Um…what's a genre? I do like the Weird Sisters if that helps?**

**What's America like? And who's this 'Harry' fellow? ****We'd like to know that as well.**_**Do I need to set a dragon on him? **_**I can lock him in a tomb if he's bothering you-**

Yet more ink splatters.

**What I MEANT with that question is: is he Harry Potter? I remember the twins mentioning him at the Platform. Because it would be brilliant if he were. Anyway, I'm getting tired of replacing quills…so this is the end of this particular letter. I hope you'll write back soon!**

**Love,**

**Ginny **_**and Charlie **_**and Bill**

**~oOo~**

I was giggling by the end of the letter. I can already tell that I'm going to love them. And Ginny is freaking awesome, despite the fact that I'm going to have to educate her on music over the summer. Ron and Harry were looking at me strangely.

"Oh, this is just a response from Ginny. I wrote her a letter earlier this week. The reason I was laughing is that Charlie and Bill kept swiping the quill and writing things." I snickered. Then I remembered something.

"Oh yeah, Ron. I have your present; I just wanted to give it to you myself." I pulled the package out from behind me and swapped his present for the one he got me.

We both opened them at the same time. From Ron, I got a picture of the two of us asleep on top of our homework in identical positions across from each other (I wonder who took that and when) in a frame that was decorated with blinding orange paint and black cannonballs. (When he told me about his favorite quidditch team, I jumped on the bandwagon to support them as well.) My eyes started to water a little as I smiled, this present was incredibly sweet and thoughtful of Ron. He had almost the same expression on his face as he unwrapped the orange and black hand woven bracelet I made him that had 'Favorite Twin' stitched on it. I did the only thing I could think of in that moment; I glomped him and shrieked, "Thank you!"

He hugged me back and said, "You too."

I released him and looked at-

Harry's floating head.

"Um, Ron? Why is Harry's head floating in mid-air?" I asked, blinking and rubbing my eyes.

"No clue. Mate? Look down." Ron told Harry, as the boy was looking at us like we were insane. He looked down, yelled, and suddenly pulled something off to become visible again.

"Blimey, that's an invisibility cloak! They're incredibly rare. Who sent it?" Ron asked excitedly.

"Dunno, there was no signature on the note." Harry responded. Then he got a somewhat wistful and sad expression on his face as he continued, "Apparently it used to belong to my dad."

There was some noise coming from the boy's dormitories so Harry stuffed the cloak under his presents. Fred and George came in frog-marching Percy over toward us with a hand knitted sweater shoved over his head.

"Merry Christmas!" the elder twins exclaimed.

"Hey look—Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too! Kayla, why haven't you opened yours, yet?" The continued in the unison speech I couldn't quite manage with Ron yet. I noticed they were wearing the sweaters with the wrong initials. Classic.

"I got distracted by a rather entertaining letter from Ginny. Keep your skirts on, I'm gonna open it!" I replied sassily. I turned back to the package and shredded through the paper. In it was a lovely purple sweater, some home-made fudge, a barrette that had a butterfly on it, a tiny dragon figurine, and an Egyptian symbol charm on a thin cord that was probably a necklace. I immediately put on the sweater and it was so snuggly. I probably won't take it off until the end of this freezing-ass winter.

"Nice, little Kaylakins! Harry's is better than ours, though," Fred commented, inspecting the green sweater that matched its owner's eyes. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why haven't you put on yours, Ron?" I asked, noticing that he was the only one not in a sweater.

"I hate maroon." He grumbled as he put it on.

I noticed Percy was still struggling with his sweater that looked to have been forcefully shoved onto him.

"Hey, Perce! Why don't I help you out a bit with that?" I asked as I walked over and pulled the sweater up over his shoulders (which I may have had to get on my tip-toes to do) so that he could put his arms through.

His disgruntled expression turned to a slight smile. "Thank you, Kayla."

"No probs, bro!" I replied with a grin.

I turned towards the twins and asked, "So, Gred and Forge….why did you both feel the need to turn Percy into an unarmed Prefect?"

They cracked completely unconvincing innocent grins, "Why, dear sister, whatever are you talking about? You seem confused."

I rolled my eyes. "I know ya'll switched sweaters. Also, you both were marching him down with devious grins and he looked thoroughly disheveled and irritated with you. Now, come you guys, it's Christmas! Couldn't you have cut him a little slack today?"

Fred and George were looking a little shell-shocked that I could tell them apart. To be honest, it wasn't that hard; they had different tones of voice and different personalities. They re-gained their devious grins and replied, "Why, we wouldn't want him-"

"To think we were-"

"Going soft on him!"

I just sighed and rolled my eyes, deciding that it was a lost cause.

**~oOo~**

Christmas dinner was extravagant affair, and I got introduced to Christmas Crackers. Apparently they are a traditional British type of party favor, and these ones were magical. I gave most of my prizes (the ones that weren't chocolate) to the boys and mostly just enjoyed the explosions.

After that, we all had a huge snowball fight in which I mostly ducked behind others and sniped those who were otherwise occupied. It was brilliant. Once we were all sopping wet and tired, we ate dinner and retired to the common room. Fred and George were playing keep away with Percy's prefect badge, Ron and I were playing chess (I was losing terribly), and Harry seemed to be a sleepy and broody haze.

**~oOo~**

As I laid down to go to sleep, I finally allowed myself to come to terms with the fact that I hadn't received so much as a card from the Smiths. Sure, I was still incredibly mad and hurt that they had kicked me out the moment they found out I wasn't normal; but I still sent them a card wishing them well on Christmas. They did take me in, after all. _Oh well, I guess they really didn't care as much as they told me before THAT day…..wait a sec, do they even know how to send stuff to a magical location? I'll do a little more thinking about this._

**~oOo~**

The next morning at breakfast, Harry looked incredibly pale, sad, and excited. As he explained about finding a mirror that showed him the image of his family surrounding him, a ton of red flags went off in my mind. Harry's reaction to the mirror was entirely unhealthy; he had a weird gleam in his eyes and wasn't touching his food. He was obsessed with finding the mirror again. He didn't even care that Snape and Quirrell almost caught him out of bounds. He also sounded entirely too shocked about what his family looked like. That settled it; tonight was going to be the night that I talked to Harry about his past with his relatives.

**~oOo~**

That night, I sat in the common room with a book that Hermione lent me called "Ender's Game" to read. And I read it patiently while I waited for the boys to leave and come back from the creepy soul-snatching mirror. At about midnight, I heard two sets of footsteps leaving slowly and glanced up to see the portrait hole open and close. _Did they honestly forget that I was there both when they had a conversation about going to the mirror AND when Harry got the cloak? Also, they still need to work on their sneaking skills. _Sighing, I went back to reading about children soldiers in space. With lasers.** (A/N: It's actually a really great book, I recommend it!)**

A few hours later, right as I was finishing the book; I heard the sound of my two lovable morons stumbling back into the common room.

"So Harry, can I talk to you for a bit? Ron can take your cloak up to your dorm for you." I said calmly, whilst trying not to giggle at what I imagined their faces looked like right at the moment. I closed my book and looked at the newly visible Harry and then over where Ron's head was floating. They were both staring at me in shock.

"What? You two might not have been visible, but that doesn't mean you're silent. Plus, as you both seem to have forgotten…. I was there when you were making your plans to sneak out." I gave them both a Look.

"Er….right, well I'm going to go put up Harry's cloak now!" Ron bolted.

Harry was left there, standing awkwardly. I sighed and pushed him into the armchair across from mine.

"So….err….what did you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked curiously.

"Harry, you know you're one of my best friends, right?" I asked, wanting to test the waters.

He furrowed his brow, a little confused as to where I was going with this. "Yeah? You're one of my best friends, too."

"So you know that this comes from a place of caring." I was stalling a bit.

He nodded, now looking slightly worried.

I steeled myself to just get this over with. "Harry, I've noticed some things about you that really worry me and I've got to ask: do your relatives mistreat you?"

Harry looked at me in shock and then defensively asked, "What would make you think that? You know…it's very late, I think I'll just-"

"Sit back down, Harry Potter, or I shall have to sit on top of you." I sternly said. This conversation had to happen.

He looked at my determined face and sat back down reluctantly.

"You ask what would make me think that? Several things. The fact that your normal clothes look to be several sizes too big for you and severely worn by someone who isn't you. The fact that I, the human twig, weigh more than you do. The fact that every time someone shows you decency, you look somewhat shocked. The fact that the first few weeks when I hugged you, you would tense up. Finally, the fact that you looked genuinely surprised that you got Christmas presents. Harry, I just want to know so that I can help!" I was working myself into a bit of a state and tears were welling up in my eyes.

Harry looked shocked at my speech. He then chose his next words very carefully. "The Dursleys don't much care for me, but they never beat me or anything."

That was one weight lifted off of my mind but I still needed to press on. "Abuse doesn't only include beating. Did they ever starve you? Lock you up anywhere for extended periods of time? Verbally abuse you?" It hurt to ask these things, but it was the only way to know so that maybe Harry could get help.

Harry looked conflicted, like he was arguing with himself. He looked into my eyes searchingly and then he made his decision. "Until my first Hogwarts letter arrived, I lived in a cupboard under the stairs. If I did anything they didn't like, I got locked in it for a few days with no meals. They don't like questions, me getting better grades than Dudley, magic of any sort, and me. Hedwig is the first present I've ever received. Until primary school, I thought my name was "Freak" or "Boy." All of my clothes used to be Dudley's and my glasses came from a donation bin. I was never allowed to go with them on their multiple vacations."

My heart broke and my tears overflowed. "Oh, Harry…." I couldn't fight it any longer and I pulled him into a fierce hug. After a couple of minutes, I pulled myself together and got mad at the fiends that hurt my friend. Harry looked somewhat relieved that I had stopped crying.

"Harry, we have to get you out of there. It is NOT okay that they treat you like that! We have to tell McGonagall, she could help-"I was getting into one of my famous rages.

"Kayla, you can't tell anyone!" Harry exclaimed, with a panicked expression.

"_Harry._ Now that I know, I can't just sit back and do nothing! Your relatives have been neglecting and verbally abusing you! They should be in prison!"

"I'm pretty sure that McGonagall already knows. My letter was addressed to my cupboard." He responded quietly and he looked at me with those bright green eyes.

Unhappily, I replied. "Fine. I don't like this. I'm going to get Hermione's address and phone number. I also want your address. If things get bad and you can't get a letter to Ron and I, you need to find a way to call her or get to her house. Or we can come get you. And then we will work from there." I wouldn't bend on this. It also didn't sit right with me that Harry's letter was addressed to his cupboard, but when McGonagall came to my house and saw me get kicked out she was mad. I just knew that I couldn't push Harry too far on this.

Sighing, he nodded.

After that, we went to bed with an unspoken agreement that we would go back to normal tomorrow.

**(A/N: The last part of this chapter broke my heart to write. But Kayla's a little too perceptive about human behavior to NOT have noticed something was off. I don't know if I did this sort of thing justice, but I sure as hell tried. And if it seemed like Kayla backed off too quickly or didn't do everything properly, remember that she's only 11 and most of her knowledge of what to do is from TV shows. Let me know what ya'll think!)**


	24. The Incredibly Irritating AN

**I apologize for my lack of updating in the past few weeks. I do have a legit reason why I haven't and probably won't be updating for a bit longer. I was with my dad, constructing a completely brand new barbed wire permanent fence on my grandma's farm. It spanned about 3,400 feet (1036.32 meters). It is some of the most back-breakingly strenuous work I have ever done. (Me being the book-worm, artsy type of person most of the time.) Right now, I'm struggling to type this because just about everything hurts, but especially my fingers and wrists. It feels worse than when I had a hot tub dropped on them. My mind is exhausted as well, from dealing with my grandma who with age has become incredibly bitter and sometimes just plain cruel. I do have some chapters already in progress, so when I get myself all healed up; I will be churning out the chapters and you can mark my words on that. I just wanted to give you all this, so you wouldn't think I had forgotten all of you. I could never do that, or give up on my stories. You all are more important to me than you may ever realize. **

** Thanks for all of your patience,**

** K**


	25. Call Me Chaos!

**(A/N: Hello my peeps! So whilst I was healing from farm labor, I had an unholy amount of shit happen to me. Including two of the worst anxiety attacks I've ever had, dealing with mice deciding to party in my room, arranging surgery for my fucked up feet, my wisdom teeth decided to come in, our washer and dryer busted (so we had to go to the shady Laundromat), and I have to arrange things so I can appeal to a committee so that I can attend the University near me. Of course, good things have happened as well in that time. I got my hair cut, I watched the Tony Awards, and I got my book idea. So, not ALL bad things, but enough to make it pretty difficult to find the time to write down what I've been thinking of for this story. But now I have time, and I'm going to use it! I don't own HP, enjoy the chapter!)**

**Chapter 22: Call Me Chaos!**

"HERMIONE! THANK MERLIN; I THOUGHT YOU ABANDONED ME TO THOSE TWO MORONS FOREVER!" Were my joyful shrieks as I glomped my favorite bookworm as she made her way back into the Common Room. (My brother and Harry indignantly cried out, "Oi!") The rest of our housemates roared with laughter as Hermione and I tumbled to the ground. She apparently hadn't foreseen my imminent attack of hugs right upon her arrival back.

"Kayla, I missed you too…..but could you please get off of me? We're blocking the portrait hole." Hermione gasped out, though I could detect the slight smile that she was trying to contain.

I jumped up again and said, "Right. I'll catch up with you in the dorms later; it's snake hunting time!"

As I skipped out of the common room, I could feel the incredulous stares of my friends and twin. It made me giggle.

**~oOo~**

"DARREN!" I called as I spotted my blonde friend across the Great Hall. He appeared to take a deep breath before he smiled back at me and walked over to me.

"Hello Kayla. How was your brea-" He started to ask before I gave him a hug. The rest of the students in the hall froze at the sight of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin hugging each other instead of hexing.

"Wanna go to the emo tower and make more band plans?" I asked.

He studied me for a moment. "Sure, and on the way we can discuss what the hell you are on right now."

He held out his arm and I looped mine through it as we started to walk. "Oh, and I'm not on anything."

Darren raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not! I'm just genuinely happy to see my friends that went home for the Holidays…and I may have gotten into a Sugar Quill eating contest with Ron." I was pretty sheepish by the end. And still bouncy.

He massaged his temples. "And your older brothers and Harry just allowed this to happen?"

I smirked a little and responded, "Well Harry thought it was funny, Fred and George were cheering us on, and Percy was off doing Prefect-y things. I won, by the way. Don't let Ron tell you anything different."

Darren laughed at that. "Of course you did."

"So, how were your Holidays?" I asked, not wanting to monopolize the conversation.

"Awkward. Really awkward. My parents tread on eggshells around me like I would turn them into toads at the slightest provocation and instead of the sheet music I asked for, they got me a football. My sister was better though, she just wanted to see what I've been learning. It sucked telling her that I couldn't. I did tell them about you, though. They really would like to meet you." Darren looked like he had been storing that up all break. (He probably had been, come to think about it.)

I decided to break the tension, "A real football or a soccer ball?"

He raised an eyebrow at me and his lips twitched, "You do realize that the majority of the world calls it football, don't you? And that rubbish that YOU call football is a watered down version of rugby."

I smirked. "Did you bring the soccer ball? It could be fun to play with it and confuse the people who've never played with one."

The Slytherin just sighed and nodded his head.

"Sweet! We can play with it tomorrow during break in the courtyard." I was excited; soccer had always been my favorite thing to play during recess.

He rolled his eyes and replied. "Sure."

Just then, we reached the top of the emo tower.

"So-so-so I talked to Percy and he suggested that we ask the Muggle Studies professor to be our sponsor!" I admit that talking about our future band only made me more hyper. I was bouncing on the balls of my feet with excitement.

Darren was vigilantly watching my bouncing (probably to make sure I didn't fall out of the tower) and appeared to be thinking about the suggestion.

"It actually makes a lot of sense since we're introducing Muggle music to the Wizarding World. Who would be more likely to support that than a professor who has made it her career to teach the witches and wizards of the UK about Muggle culture?" I wheedled, now skipping and twirling around the contemplative snake.

"I agree. But who's the Muggle Studies professor and where is her office?" Darren asked, appearing to get dizzy from trying to following my progressively faster circles I danced around him.

"I can ask Percy tonight at dinner." I replied, still whirling around.

"Who is our back-up option? Just in case." Darren asked.

I stopped my whirling. I hadn't thought of that. And the tower seemed to be spinning of its own accord.

Blinking a couple of times and shaking my head for good measure, I turned to Darren (who seemed to be barely containing laughter at my fight with dizziness) and after some thought suggested, "Perhaps Fitwick? He leads the choir. Or, if not him, McGonagall? She's seen me sing before and seemed to enjoy it."

"Two back up options? How very Slytherin of you." Darren smirked.

I flicked his forehead and eloquently replied, "Oh shut it, you slimy snake!"

But I couldn't keep a straight face at my poor imitation of some of the older, more-prejudiced students and neither could Darren.

We laughed for what seemed like ages.

**~oOo~**

Weeks flew by as Darren and I tried to get the wheels moving on our band. Professor Burbage was whole-heartedly behind our idea, but apparently there was a ton of parchment work that went along with creating a club. Our attempts at playing soccer during break were quickly shut down by Snape, who apparently hates fun. And happiness. And shampoo.

In the meantime, life at Hogwarts went on as usual.

Harry and Ron remained firm that it was Snape after the stone, Hermione was already getting crazy about exams, and I was doing whatever random thing struck my fancy (after completing my homework).

Currently, I was gazing out of the window and saw smoke floating from the direction of Hagrid's cabin. _Odd._

"Hey guys, why don't we go pay Hagrid a visit?" I suggested.

**~oOo~**

A dragon egg.

Hagrid has a fucking dragon egg.

Suddenly, I had the most inappropriate urge to burst into song.

So I did.

On the way to Charms with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Quietly, I sang:

"_Puff the magic dragon, _

_Lived by the sea_

_And frolicked in the Autumn Mist_

_In a land called Honah Lee_

_Little Jackie Paper-"_

Hermione slapped a hand over my mouth looking scandalized and paranoid. "Kayla! That song is highly inappropriate _and _it's drawing attention to us!"

I put on my best innocent expression and replied, "Why Hermione, I was just reveling in the beauty of magical creatures and had to sing about it. How is that song not appropriate?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but grinned slightly. Ron just looked confused.

Hermione bristled and hissed, "You know very well that that song has absolutely nothing to do with dragons!"

I dropped the innocent look and smirked, "The title of the song would like to disagree with you."

Hermione looked at her incredulously and exclaimed, "You're impossible!"

My smirk just widened, "And proud of it!"

**~oOo~**

**(A/N: Next chapter, the Norbert Debacle will continue….with my own twist on it, of course! Let me know in the reviews what you thought of this chapter! Toodles!)**


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